We can stop talking about planting progress now. As of Monday, 95% of the Arkansas rice crop had been planted, officially speaking.
A few more fields were going in this week in isolated spots but we can essentially call planting complete now – and on with trying to manage this crop.
So, a large portion of the crop is going to flood now or soon will be. Probably a third or more should already be flooded. The temperatures of this past week, which required a jacket in morning, were a bit of a shock. Rice has enjoyed milder weather but it is moving slowly.
Prior to this slowdown, some early rice was progressing a couple days ahead of projection. This cool weather will back that off to a degree.
The weather next week should be more of a return to the upper 80s (and warmer lows) to keep this crop progressing. However, rain chances abound throughout the week. Based on all the planes in the air this week, everyone has been applying herbicides and fertilizer as possible before this expected rain.
Much of this late-planted rice is getting ready for flood fast – way faster than you may be thinking. Run DD50 reports on your fields and update them every few days (at least weekly). They’re updated with current weather data daily.
We’ll get into midseason N management more next week,but don’t be in too big of a hurry to make that midseason application. Apply too soon before the preflood N is finished being taken up and you risk not getting the full benefit out of the midseason N application.
