Soil Temperatures on the Rise

Not only have our air temperatures been rising, soil temperatures have been on the rise as well.  This is good news for anyone wanting to get out and start spring planting in the garden and in the farm fields.

Soil temperatures need to be right around 50 degrees to begin planting.  Earlier in the month of April soil temperatures were in the middle to upper 30's thanks to a cold start to the month.  Those numbers have quickly gone up with the warm recently.

Two inches under bare soil temperatures are in the middle 60's, with even a few low 70's in west-central Illinois.  Temperatures four inches under bare soil are in the low to mid 60's.  So over the next couple of days, you'll probably see more farm equipment on the roads.  By next week I expect corn planting to be in full force.

Soy beans usually go in the ground during the first week or two of May.