In 2023, farmers faced a lack of rain and soil moisture, bringing about concerns over yields. While some areas in Illinois received timely rain, others were not so lucky. Asgrow and DEKALB Technical Agronomist Lance Tarchionne says winter storms have helped bring moisture back to fields dealing with deficits.
“Areas that did not get as much rain over the summer are probably at a 6,7,8 – maybe even more than that inch deficit at the end of the year so getting two inches of extra moisture in January helps. It doesn’t get you back to even’” says Tarchionne. “I think a lot of people that are doing tiling and excavating work will tell you it’s still pretty dry at depth. Even though we have had a lot of moisture- not a lot of flow coming out of tile lines- we are still at a deficit in subsoil moisture.”
Tarchionne adds going into the 2024 crop season, he is looking for timely rains rather than replenished soil moisture.
