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Features

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]

Logan County fourth-grade students
will learn ‘Agriculture is Everywhere’

[MARCH 20, 2002]  Due to the weather forecast for March 21, the Logan County Farm Bureau is postponing its second annual Agriculture is Everywhere Fair.  The event has been rescheduled for Thursday, April 11, at the Logan County Fairgrounds. 

On the new date, fourth-grade students from Logan County will attend a half-day fair to discover how agriculture is a world of opportunities and how people need agriculture in their daily lives. There will be two sessions, one from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and another from noon to 2:30 p.m. Participation in the event will be near 100 percent of the county fourth-graders.

The students will attend five breakout sessions with hands-on activities. The sessions include dairy, pork, corn, soybeans, machinery and an agricultural food sampling. The closing segment will focus on sheep and a shearing demonstration.

At each station, equipment and live animals will be present to expose the students to agriculture in Logan County.

Members of the Hartsburg-Emden, Lincoln and Mount Pulaski FFA chapters will be present to help educate the area students.

The schools are also given the opportunity to have their students participate in an Agriculture is Everywhere essay contest. The top five winners, selected by Lincoln College Phi Theta Kappa Honorary Society, will receive trophies.

Members of the Logan County Farm Bureau are organizing the fair in celebration of National Ag Day.

[Logan County Farm Bureau]

It’s time to talk about
how and when to prune

[MARCH 11, 2002]  With the calendar pointing to spring, it’s time to think about finishing up pruning chores. It doesn’t seem possible that we need to be gearing up for the outdoor season. But it is time, and one of the first items of business is pruning.

Let me start by saying that pruning is an art rather than a science. There are some basic rules of pruning that should be followed, and the rest is more personal taste than scientific fact.

Starting with the proper tools, you should have bypass hand shears (for cutting twigs up to one-fourth inch), bypass loppers (for those in-between cuttings of one-fourth inch to 1¼ inch), and a good pruning saw for larger limbs. Bypass, rather than anvil-type, pruners are recommended.

Next for the general rules that should be followed:

1.  Remove dead and broken branches.

2.  Remove diseased branches or diseased parts of branches.

3.  Remove water sprouts (rapidly growing young shoots that grow straight up).

4.  Remove suckers (that grow from roots or at ground level).

5.  Eliminate competition between branches.

6.  Eliminate "v" branching (where two branches of similar size form a narrow "v").

7.  Remove weak, slow-growing, drooping, non-productive branches.

8.  Remove branches, or parts of branches, that touch the ground.

9.  Avoid selecting main branches that grow toward the direction of prevailing summer winds (southwest in our case.)

10.  Particularly with fruit trees, do training-only pruning for the first five years (severe pruning early on will tend to delay fruit onset).

Now that we have the rules, we need to know when to do pruning. Ornamentals with high sap-flow rates (such as maples and sweet gums) should be pruned in December; other ornamentals should be done in February or early March. Common fruit trees (such as apples and pears) should be done in February or early March; stone fruits (such as peaches and apricots) are best done after flowering (since we get a crop only every so often to begin with); and evergreens are best done in late June.

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When making cuts, leave at least a one-sixteenth inch collar for proper healing. On large branches, make two cuts, with the first leaving a foot-long stub. These cutting procedures will reduce injury to tissues in the trunk or main branches. Don’t bother with "pruning paint." This sealant will not prevent diseases from entering, since they probably were present as soon as the branch was cut, and any sap flow will loosen the covering.

There are a few other things to keep in mind when pruning:

1.  Disinfect pruning tools with rubbing alcohol or bleach solution between each cut if you suspect diseases that can be transmitted.

2.  Be very careful about pruning apples or mountain ash infected with fire blight.

3.  Ash trees should not have much pruning done for about 10 years, due to potential borer infestations.

4.  Expect lots of sap flow this year on most things due to the warm winter we have had. This actually makes us feel worse than the effect on the plant.

For all you grape growers, the February or early March period is a good time to prune grapes. Train them to your trellis by leaving three good buds per branch. This number of good buds promotes grape and cluster size.

A final rule of thumb is this: "If you think you pruned too much, you’re about right!"

[John Fulton]

Honors & Awards

[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]

[MARCH 13, 2002]  The Lincoln FFA chapter recently participated in two competitions.

The first was the Section 14 public speaking contest. Three individuals from Lincoln participated: Bobbi Hartwig in creed speaking, Brittany Ingram in varsity prepared and Emily Bakken in varsity extemporaneous. Everyone did a great job. Emily placed second in her area and will advance to district competition April 3 on the Western Illinois University campus.

Two Lincoln members also participated in the District 3 record books competition at Jacksonville High School on March 6. Amanda Davison competed in specialty animal production placement, and Emily Bakken competed in specialty animal production entrepreneurship. Emily won her area and will compete at state on March 23 at the University of Illinois. Both girls did an excellent job.

Mr. Scott Nordstrom is the adviser for the students. 

[Lincoln FFA report]

Ag Announcements

[FEB. 18, 2002]  The Midwest Equipment Dealers Association, through its educational foundation, Midwest Equipment Foundation, will provide two $1,000 scholarships and four $750 scholarships for the 2002-03 school year to students enrolled in association-approved community college training programs.

A copy of the scholarship announcement brochure with scholarship rules, application form and listing of approved training programs has been provided to all high school vo-ag instructors and community colleges that provide MEDA-approved training programs. The deadline for scholarship applications is April 1.

Scholarship information can also be picked up at Central Illinois Ag’s Atlanta store, 200 Sharon St., 1 (800) 762-2325, or from MEDA directly at 1 (800) 236-6332.

[News release]

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