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Spring is here and it’s time
to plant; hold that thought

[MARCH 30, 2002]  Now that Illinois has had a few days with freezing rain and snow, gardeners and farmers alike are eager to begin their spring planting, but they still need to wait a bit longer and keep frost dates in mind.

View spring frost map for Illinois

[The map is an Adobe Acrobat file. Click here if you need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader.]

"The last spring frost usually occurs between April 7 (southern Illinois) and April 28 (northern Illinois), and April 14 to 21 (central Illinois), based on 1971-2000 averages," says Jim Angel, state climatologist with the Illinois State Water Survey.

"The actual frost date varies quite a bit from year to year," says Angel. He suggests adding two weeks to the average frost date for your area before planting tender plants, to protect them against the possibility of a late season frost. "By doing so, the odds are only 1 in 10 that frost will occur later in spring," continues Angel.

Although 32 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature traditionally used to identify frost, visible frost can be seen on the ground and on objects at slightly warmer temperatures on calm, clear nights that allow cold, dense air to collect near the ground. Under these conditions, the temperature near the ground actually can be a few degrees cooler than at the 5-foot height of the official National Weather Service thermometer.

Open, grassy areas usually experience frost first, while areas under trees are more protected because the trees help prevent the heat from escaping. Covering tender plants when a frost is expected can provide this same type of protection. Plants near heated buildings sometimes are spared too. An abundance of warm buildings and trees in town means that urban areas tend to have frost less often than rural areas.

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According to Angel, average high temperatures in spring (March-May) range from the upper 50s (north), to the low 60s (central), to the upper 60s (south), while the average low temperatures range from the upper 30s (north), to the lower 40s (central), to the upper 40s (south).

Data from the Water Survey WARM Network also indicate that soil moisture across the state is near to above average for this time of year.

"Don’t let the mild winter we’ve had fool you into thinking we’ll have a warm spring," cautions Angel. "Historical data indicate that warm springs do not follow warm winters. Although there is a tenuous relationship between warm Aprils and earlier dates at which the last spring frost occurs, it only takes a day or two of unseasonably cold weather to produce a late spring frost," he said.

[Illinois State Water Survey, a division of
the Illinois Department of Natural Resources]

Ready, set, grow!

[MARCH 26, 2002]  The calendar says that spring is here, even though the ice and snow are with us. One thing about spring, the ice and snow just don’t last very long. This time of year can be a very busy one for getting things in shape for a great growing season.

Lawn care is one thing that should be on everyone’s mind. It’s hard to get cranked up much about it when there is snow, but timing in the spring is critical for some operations.

Let’s start with crabgrass control. Crabgrass is an annual grass, which means it comes up from seed every year. One of the best ways to control annual weeds is to use a seed germination inhibitor that works on that germinating seed. The only problem is timing. These herbicides must be put on before you see the weed (in this case, the crabgrass).

Many of the germination inhibitors are combined with fertilizer. They should be applied about April 1 in our area, but the timing can vary a couple of weeks. The crabgrass seed germinates on the basis of soil temperature, but one of the good indicators is forsythia in bloom. If you don’t have your crabgrass preventer on by the time you see forsythia blooms, best get it on quickly. Another thing to keep in mind is that the same product that prevents crabgrass from germinating will do the same thing to other seeds. This means that you can’t sow new grass seed and use a crabgrass treatment the same time of year. If you need seeding done, fall is actually the best.

Grass may be sown either March 15 to April 1 or Aug. 15 to Sept. 10. Spring seedings don’t usually have the success that the fall ones do, because hot weather tends to hit before lawns become well established. Seeding rates should be about four pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet for bare dirt, and half that rate for over-seeding thin areas. We recommend using a blend of grasses,  such as Kentucky bluegrass, a fine fescue and perennial ryegrass. Some people leave out the perennial ryegrass, but it does provide some advantages.

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The seeding times are also good times to use a plug aerator or use a power dethatcher. These operations are very hard on grass, and doing them when the grass recovers quickly goes a long way to keeping your lawn healthy. Both of these operations are usually done to help remove thatch layers. This thatch should be no more than one-half inch in depth, or you’ll tend to have disease problems come in.

Fertilizer and broadleaf weed controls are best applied in May when they work better. This early in the season, lawn weeds aren’t actively growing, and turf isn’t growing actively enough to make good use of nitrogen fertilizer.

Another item we have gotten several calls on is dealing with grubs and moles. The two are often related. Moles eat grubs and earthworms for food. This really isn’t a good time to try to control grubs since they are large in size and won’t be around too much longer. They will pupate this spring and come back out as June bugs, Japanese beetles or green June bugs to start the process all over again. The best control time is from August through September. Mole control is best accomplished by doing away with their food source; then they go elsewhere. With this not being a good time for grub control, you are reduced to trapping for moles.

Hopefully these spring lawn tips will get you started on the right track for the year. If you have further questions, feel free to contact the office at 732-8289.

[John Fulton, Logan County Unit,
University of Illinois Extension]

Alternative fuels and proposed ethanol plant are topics at Ag Day breakfast

[MARCH 21, 2002]  Fuels derived from corn and soybeans and a proposed cooperatively owned ethanol plant in Elkhart were main topics addressed by speakers at Thursday morning’s third annual Logan County Ag Day breakfast. The breakfast, at the Knights of Columbus building, was sponsored by the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee.

View pictures of the event

Keynote speaker Mike Lockart, marketing manager for propane and alternative fuels at Growmark, said that 11 to 12 percent of the gasoline used in the United States contains ethanol, and the focus is now shifting to biodiesel fuels. He defined these as diesel fuels based entirely on soybean, rice, canola or sunflower seed oils, used cooking fat, or a combination of these. The American Society for Testing and Materials has set standards for biodiesel fuels, an important development because it means engine manufacturers recognize these fuels as a viable alternative to diesel.

[Photo by Bob Frank]

Speaking to a crowd that filled the Knights of Columbus hall, Lockart said to expect a new fuel status soon for ethanol-blended diesel fuel, which Growmark is currently testing.

He advised those in the agricultural community to watch the numerous state and federal bills related to setting a standard for renewable fuel. The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 have underscored the hidden price for imported oil, he said, and the result can help corn and soybean producers as well as improve air quality.

Ernest Moody, chair of the Land of Lincoln Agriculture Coalition, said the group will conduct a membership drive in June and plans to offer stock in the projected Elkhart ethanol plant beginning in January 2003. Only members of the coalition will be able to buy the stock. Moody said a membership will cost $500 in the first year and $100 annually after that. He hopes that a high percentage of stock will be bought locally and that agricultural producers will purchase at least 51 percent.

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Based on a U.S. Department of Agriculture formula and the projected size of the Elkhart plant, Moody estimated that it will generate 1,000 to 1,500 local jobs.

Terry Lock, chair of the ag work force development subcommittee, introduced winners of three agriculture scholarships:

•  $1,000 to Elizabeth Schilling of Lake Fork, a junior at the University of Illinois majoring in ag consumer economics.

•  $1,000 to Kent Leesman of Atlanta, a Hartem senior who plans to major in agronomy at the University of Illinois.

•  $500 to Michael Stoll of Chestnut, a senior at Mount Pulaski who plans to major in agriculture and animal science at Lincoln Land Community College. Stoll expects to transfer to University of Illinois to complete his bachelor’s degree.

Emergency Services and Disaster Agency Coordinator Dan Fulscher noted that agriculture is the industry with the most work-related accidents nationwide and advised farmers to make sure their employees carry cell phones and can identify their location. Over 30 percent of all local 911 calls are cellular, he said, and many of these callers do not realize that no technology is in place to give their location.

The chamber ag committee is chaired by Marty Ahrends; Larry Huelskoetter headed the Ag Day 2002 committee which planned the breakfast.

Master of ceremonies Dave Hawkinson, director of marketing and public affairs for Corn Belt Energy, said, "We appreciate all of you who participate in the agriculture industry" and thanked those present for the wisdom and commitment they bring to the community.

[Lynn Shearer Spellman]

Honors & Awards

[APRIL 1, 2002]  Three Hartsburg-Emden FFA members participated in the state FFA proficiency interviews on March 23 at the University of Illinois.

Kent Leesman was named the state winner in grain production-entrepreneurship.  Daniel Eeten and Natalie Coers placed second in diversified crop production-placement and diversified horticulture.  All three were judged on the quality of their record books and a personal interview.  Kent now advances to regional competition on the national level. 

Kent was also recently informed that he was named one of the top 10 essay winners in the USDA Risk Management Essay Contest.  By being in the top 10, Kent earned an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., later in April. 

Hartem FFA members at the State FFA Proficiency Awards Day with National FFA Secretary Robin Neihaus. Left to right: Kent Leesman, Robin Neihaus, Daniel Eeten and Natalie Coers.

[Hartem FFA news release]

[MARCH 18, 2002]  The Hartsburg-Emden FFA agriculture sales team placed first in a recent agriculture sales contest.

Individuals placing first were Natalie Coers for newspaper advertisement, Krista Ubbenga for product display, and Kent Leesman in customer relations.

Placing second were Matthew Wrage in sales presentation and Kyle Hoerbert in telephone skills.

Kent and Natalie also tied for the highest score on the written test.

As a team, Hartem was first in market analysis.

[Hartsburg-Emden FFA report]

[Hartem ag sales team: Matt Wrage, Natalie Coers, Kent Leesman, Krista Ubbenga and Kyle Hoerbert]

Ag Announcements

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