Spring Planting
By Jeff Hafner, Owner 04/01/2024
April showers bring May flowers.
Basically, everyone’s mind turns to planting in April. Gardeners who plant too early may risk a late freeze and scramble to cover delicate seedlings. Everyone wants to be first with corn and soybeans planting. Here in central Iowa the average freeze of the year is around April 27-28. But the last freeze can be as late as May 10. Raising organic crops and utilizing organic horticulture practices means we have to evaluate our potential with Mother Nature in mind.
Garden Potential
On the garden side, we use black plastic and row covers which gives our delicate plants and seeds a “blanket” if Mother Nature sends us a cold surprise. We also have variety selection (some plant varieties can handle cold better) and plant selection. Plants like lettuce, radishes, bok choy, brassicas and more can handle the frosty temperatures for a few days.
Farm Potential
On the organic farming side, I look differently at planting also. The spring small grains like oats and hard red spring wheat can be planted as soon as you can get in the field because they can handle frosty temperatures. I remember as a kid riding the seeder wagon with numb toes and snowflakes in the air.
Clover can also be frost seeded. Meaning it can be broadcast on frozen ground and the freezing and thawing of late winter and early spring is enough to cover the seeds and germinate. This is a great way to rejuvenate pastures. If you add alfalfa to your oat seeding, the alfalfa will lay there until the soil temp is close to 70 degrees, then germinate and grow within the oats.
As I mentioned, everyone wants to be first with corn and soybeans planting. First to the field. First done. The sooner you get in the better chances of big yield. New technology of seed coatings, fungicides and insecticides allow the seed to sit in cool wet soil with protection from disease, insects and predators. Corn germinates at 50 degrees but can take 3 to 4 weeks to emerge in cool temperatures. As an organic row crop farmer, I drag my feet planting. I let the conventional farmers win the race and be first. The organic regulations don’t allow me to have the latest and greatest seed coatings of fungicides and insecticides. I can’t afford to have my seed rot in cool wet soils. By waiting until soil temperatures are over 60 degrees my corn leaps out of the ground in 3 to 4 days instead of weeks.
Weed Potential
Just like crops, weeds germinate at different temperatures. Foxtail jumps out of the ground at 50 degrees. Organic farming does not have herbicides, so waiting a few weeks to plant allows another pass with the field cultivator to kill another crop of weeds.
Organic Potential
The final reason for me as an organic farmer to delay planting is GMOs. As an organic farmer I get tested yearly for GMO contamination. Organic regulation requires a 30-foot buffer between convention farm crops and organic farm crops. That sounds wonderful, until you realize that corn pollen can travel up to 3 miles. This of course means GMOs can travel up to 3 miles. By letting the conventional guys win the race and be first, and me waiting until after May 5th to plant corn, my corn will pollinate after the conventional corn which greatly reduces the risk of GMO contamination.