Dry bean field
Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA. (Photo by Gary Stone)

Crop Progress: Dry Edible Bean Planting Begins

May 22, 2023
Dry edible bean planting was at 4% complete as of May 21, and corn planting was nearing 90% complete.

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Cattle in pasture
Whether cereal plant forages are grazed out, hayed or harvested as wheatlage this year, the goal is to timely plant subsequent summer annuals between mid-May to mid-June for optimizing yields.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Wheat Grazing vs. Grain Value, Choosing Summer Forage

May 16, 2023
This week — Recommendations for producers considering wheat for forage, including varieties and planting timelines for summer annual grasses, plus tips on control measures for poison hemlock.

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Corn field
Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA.

Crop Progress: Widespread Rainfall Causes Minimal Delay for Planting

May 16, 2023
Corn and soybean planting were still well ahead of average pace as of May 14, despite several rainfall events throughout the state last week.

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Musk thistle
Musk thistle control should be done in spring when plants are in their short rosette growth form, as herbicides are ineffective after the flowering stage.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Equipment Maintenance, Controlling Musk Thistle and No-Till on the Plains Tours

May 11, 2023
This week, extension educators review a checklist for pre-season hay equipment maintenance, tips for controlling musk thistle in pastures, and details of this year's No-Till on the Plains Whirlwind tours in June.

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Corn field
Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA.

Crop Progress: 2023 Planting Ahead of Average Pace

May 10, 2023
As of May 7, corn planting was at 56% complete, soybean planting was at 36% and sorghum planting had begun.

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Alfalfa field
Spring drought can result in stressed alfalfa from aggressive weed growth, resulting in thinner stands and lower yields. View the options for herbicide control in post-emergent and established alfalfa below.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Alfalfa Weevil, Weed Control and Summer Pasture Turn-out

May 4, 2023
This week — Controlling alfalfa weeds with post-emergent herbicides, scouting for alfalfa weevil, and planning the date and pastures for spring turn-out.

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Fertilizing pasture
University research on fertilizing sub-irrigated grazed hay meadows with 70 lbs. of N, 25 lbs. of P and 20 lbs. of S per acre resulted in a 3:1 return on investment.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Calculate ROI Before Fertilizing Pastures

April 26, 2023
This week: Fertilizing pastures — an in-depth analysis on the economics of applying fertilizer to Nebraska pastures this season. 

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Irrigated alfalfa
For maximum season production, the first alfalfa cutting typically requires six to seven inches of water — if soil profiles are currently very dry, spring irrigation should be considered.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Early Season Alfalfa Irrigation, Trigger Dates and Weed Control

April 19, 2023
This week — Strategies for irrigating alfalfa in early season dry soil conditions, grazing to control abundant weed growth due to drought and forming a drought plan.

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