By Clint Thompson
The Georgia Peanut Commission and University of Georgia (UGA) Extension Peanut Team remind growers about the importance of promoting a proper plant stand now to avoid replanting later.
UGA Extension peanut agronomist Scott Monfort discusses what producers should be mindful of now that most of the state’s crop has been planted.
“I think we need to be diligent not to cause more problems than what we already have,” Monfort said. “Make sure everything’s working like we would do at the beginning of the year. Make sure we’re not making a sidestep. We don’t have that luxury of time now of having to come back and replant because we messed something up or forgot something.”
Especially as input costs have soared to historic highs, peanut producers can ill-afford to have to replant all or even some of their crop. Farmers need to ensure a proper plant stand is achieved the first time through the field.
“It’s just a gentle reminder to make sure to double check everything. Make sure the planter is working like it should. Make sure we’re putting our inoculants where we need to, our insecticides,” Monfort said. “Even though we’re in early June, there’s still a lot of thrips around. Hopefully, our seed has been taken care of. Do everything you can to make sure we get a good stand. Again, I hate to keep harping on it, but we don’t put anything in-furrow that we don’t recommend, like fertilizers. Leave that stuff out. It’s not going to help you. It’s going to hurt you. Stick to the things we know that work.”