As the crops race off to maturity, conditions still look good in southeast North Dakota. Corn is rapidly advancing to maturity with many of the fields beginning to dent. Plant health is good, but as you ready the combines for what appears to be an early harvest, remember to make adjustments for drought. Dry conditions earlier in the year may have affected ear size in many parts of the fields. Smaller ears and stalks will require a narrower gap for the stripper plates on the cornheads to eliminate shelling and concave adjustments may need to be made to allow for the smaller ears and less residue.
Continue to monitor your soybean fields for aphids and spider mites, although aphids haven’t been as much of a problem as the spider mites. Many fields have been sprayed and some have required more than one application.
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