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Minor soil crusting seen in south-central Minnesota

Soil crusting has caused minor emergence problems for a south-central Minnesota corn farmer.

Sam Zielger of Good Thunder says excessive spring moisture delayed the start of planting, and his earliest planted corn only recently began to emerge.

“Our first stuff came up and there was some rotary hoeing (needed) because of a thin crust on the top, but for the most part the corn is coming up and looks good.”

Despite late April snow and frequent May rains, he tells Brownfield another shot of moisture wouldn’t hurt.

“Nobody is really going to turn down (rain), and then we’ll get back in the field.  But we don’t want more than a half inch, we’ve got to be picky here.”

Ziegler has finished planting corn and says he’s about halfway done with soybeans.

The USDA’s latest crop progress report lists topsoil moisture at 86 percent adequate to surplus across Minnesota.