Eye-high by the Fourth of July

Joel DeJong is in favor of tweaking one of the Midwest's most well known sayings.

"I'm 6' 6" and I've got some cornfields looking me in the eye," he said. "Eye-high by the Fourth of July is really where we'd see a lot of cornfields right now."

This year's crop is progressing well, said the Iowa State University Extension & Outreach field agronomist. Great growing conditions and adequate precipitation amounts have made corn sprout high in recent weeks, and with warm temperatures heading into tasseling season, DeJong expected things to keep moving in the right direction.

"I like mid-80s for tasseling and not mid-90s. You want cool nights," he said. "But the humidity is being forecasted high, so moisture demand will be less. Ideally I'd like to see lower temps, but no year is perfect."

According to the most recent crop progress and condition report by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, there were scattered reports of corn beginning to silk in the state. Corn condition rated 85 percent good to excellent. Soybean emergence reached 98 percent, more than two weeks ahead of last year and five days ahead of the five-year average.

Soybean blooming reached 16 percent, almost two weeks ahead of last year and five days ahead of average. Soybean condition rated 83 percent good to excellent. Oats headed progressed to 86 percent, six days ahead of last year. Oat condition rated 82 percent good to excellent.

DeJong said crops in northern O'Brien County are doing well thanks to relenting precipitation. Recent years have seen much more rainfall early in the growing season

"In the Hartley area, we're a lot better off than we have been the past two years," he said.

DeJong noted some soybeans have been slow to take off. Herbicide application was delayed due to windy conditions last month, leading to issues throughout northwest Iowa.

"But for the most part, it's looking pretty good," he said. "They're getting there."

DeJong expected most northwest Iowa corn to tassel within the next two weeks.

"Realistically, it's looking really good," he said.