Jackson Cowart, Inverness
5/20/2024 – Soybeans range from V2 to R2. The wet spring kept a lot of pre-emergents from going
out, so we have been cleaning up weeds in those spots. The oldest beans are being plowed and laid
by. Insects haven’t been an issue so far.
Corn ranges from V4 to V9. Most of the corn has been fertilized and laid by, and poly pipe is being
rolled out. Stink bug pressure has been light all year. Getting out traps for SWCB on the refuge acres
now.
Cotton ranges from pushing up to 3 true leaves. Thrips haven’t been terrible so far, but definitely
higher pressure in the cover crop/no till acres. Getting a lot of Liberty + RoundUp out right now, and it
is looking good with warm temperatures.
Ed Whatley, Clarksdale
5/22/2024 – Crop situation in my area is in excellent condition at this time. Very little replant has
occurred in all crops.
Cotton is cotyledon to 4 leaf cotton. Thrips pressure was light on mid-April planted cotton. No thrips
application was made on some of these acres. Thrips pressure has increased on the later planted
cotton and applications are being made on all cotton that is not out of thrips stage.
Soybean crop is off to a good start. 80% of the soybean crop was planted in the month of April.
Growers are making herbicide applications on many acres now.
Corn acres are down significantly. Corn is in the V11 growth stage. All nitrogen applications have
been made except pre-tassel application.
The weather has cooperated so far, this growing season. We have had timely rains, not floods. We
have had enough dry weather to plant and make OT applications in a timely matter. The biggest
problem has been the high winds.
Trent LaMastus, Cleveland
5/20/2024 – Soybeans: my soybeans range from still in the sack to v8/r1. Insects are light. Weeds and
grass are a problem on many farms due to continuous wet and windy conditions! The patch work of
crop diversity is going to be an issue in getting herbicides out as well. We may have a couple of hours
each day this week to get herbicides out now that we have dried a little and there is less rain in the
forecast. Hopefully we will get everything planted this week!!!
Corn: our corn is from v6- v11 and most looks pretty healthy. We had a big population of brown stink
bugs in most of the early planted corn especially where weeds and or crop residue were thick.
We will install moisture sensors this week.
Cotton: like soybeans, many acres are yet to be planted. The cotton that is up struggled from too
much rain but has become established overall. Some thrips poison was applied last week, and I’m
pleased with the results. The number of thrips had basically doubled every week since emergence.
The non-ThryvOn cotton that hasn’t been poisoned was averaging over 100% today. The cotton is
liking this hot weather and starting to grow pretty fast.
Lauren Green, Greenwood
5/22/2024 – Cotton is from cotyledon to 5th true leaf. Thrips were not bad in first planted but last
planted have had good number of thrips on it coming it of the ground depending on where you are.
Roundup and Liberty have been across acres where needed.
Corn is from V4 to V7. Had to spray. All has been fertilized and all older corn has been laid by.
Moisture starting to drop, and pipe is being put down and punched. Hopefully catch a rain this
weekend.
Soybeans range from cotyledon to 6th trifoliate. Working on pulling middles, fertilizer, and getting
some laid by. No insect pressure to date.
Ty Edwards, Water Valley
5/16/2024 – Cotton- we are roughly 80% planted at this point. Most up to a good stand, but still
waiting on what was planted right in front of this most recent rain. Fair amount of ThryvOn here, and it
looks great. Non-ThryvOn only running a few thrip, outgrowing them so far. Been a task keeping up
with pigweeds/residuals prior to emergence. The dicamba shortage has forced us to do a few things
we wouldn’t otherwise have done.
Beans- we’re 90% planted and up to a good stand. None blooming yet.
Corn- all corn is planted and up, with little to no issues at this point other than standard weed
control.
Mitch LeFlore, Winona
5/20/2024 – Cotton is from cotyledon up to 4 th node. We took care of cutworms and thrips in older
cotton and are taking care of younger cotton as I type. Dry, warm May weather has cotton looking
beautiful without any replants; we’re off to a good start.
Soybeans range from still in the sack to R1. No insect problems and starting Roundup/dicamba or
Roundup/Prefix sprays to clean up older beans.
This is the best year for sweet potatoes beds in a long time; we have beautiful plants to transplant.
We started planting last week with plenty of moisture and clean fields.
Peanuts are up and growing with a few thrips but nothing to worry about; pre-emerge activated and
clean.
Phillip McKibben, Maben
5/21/2024 – Our crops have a decent start for the most part. There are some very bright spots in our
corn, some of the early beans, and the earliest cotton.
Some of the areas that we work have had too much rain, and some not enough. While we have fields
that are only getting dry enough to plant cotton this week, we have ground that we won't be able to
wait long before beginning to water.
Interestingly, we check some corn that was planted 'green' into 6 ft cereal rye which had no
burndown, and it was beginning to curl a bit yesterday; while the other part of the field that was
terminated prior to planting was not. I believe any significant differences will show in July and August
though. We have so much to learn.
Cover cropping appears to be the future of row crop production. Instead of having a goal of bare soil
from October until May, I believe we will slowly begin to transition to a system that attempts to keep
green plants growing from crop to crop, with no fallow period between. This is the only way to build
the underground biological networks that we desperately need in our soils. Too long we have treated
soil as a chemical environment, and ignored the critical biology that is necessary for plant growth.
Trey Bullock, Seminary
5/21/2024 – Last week’s rainfall totaled 6-10” pretty much across my area. Cotton is from in the sack
to 5th node. Thrips and weeds are being sprayed where growers can run. Cotton is red stemmed,
and some has been underwater twice. Cotton planted right ahead of these rains will probably need to
be replanted. Hopefully everyone can finish planting this week.
Peanuts are from in the sack to 35 days old. Pre’s have worked well, and I am extremely thankful for
that. Herbicides will go out this week.
Peanuts are kinda banged up from rain splashing herbicides but will be fine.
Soybeans are still mostly in the sack. The few acres that were planted in late March look great.
Cutworms have been a big problem in most fields with several fields being treated.
I have walked some silage corn fields that have literally been stripped from fall armyworms. These
aren’t fields I check but I was contacted to come look if I would. I wish I would’ve taken pics.
