Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Soil Temperatures - May 15, 2013


This should be our last soil temperature reading shared here and it is the one everyone has been waiting on.  Planters have already been rolling for the majority of this week getting cotton in the ground and rightly so.  Soil temps have been just warm enough that when the upcoming weather forecasts were considered, the conditions are considered finally advantageous for cotton seedlings.  Just in case a grower has been waiting on planting cotton until temperatures were just right, I took one reading yesterday, May 14 at 2 pm, and one this morning at 7:45 am. 

 

-          69°F.  Halfway, Texas (5-14).  Potential cotton / moderate moisture / plowed / pivot irrigated.

-          64°F.  Three miles north of Kress (5-15).  Potential cotton / good moisture behind irrigation / plowed / pivot irrigated. 

 

The 64°F degree reading was taken less than 24 hours behind a pivot application of water.  This may represent how the temperature of the water cools the soil.  In situations like this, with hot days forecasted, the soil will warm well before the ground will support a tractor.  Just a few degrees cooler and there might be some concerns.  Now most of our concerns about soil conditions and planting can return to seed bed moisture content, early season pest and weed considerations. 

Please call if I can be of assistance.

Blayne

 

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