By Clint Thompson
Though still early, according to Scott Monfort, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension peanut agronomist, peanut plantings have begun in fields in South Georgia.
The Georgia Peanut Commission and UGA Peanut Team advise growers about what to consider when planting this year’s crop.
“The primary thing to think about right now is getting a good start. Getting a good start is being weed free for one; but also, make sure we get a good stand,” Monfort said. “Checking everything from how your planter’s running to your planter speed and knowing your seed quality. All of that stuff matters, and we want to make sure all of that is paid attention to.
“If we are planting early, we definitely want to make sure we’re getting back around those fields in about 10 days and see where they’re at. If we need to react and put more seed in the fields, we need to be there before 21 days.”
Georgia’s peanut industry is expecting a high number of acres this year. Monfort projects around 950,000 acres. This is due in large part to corn and cotton prices remaining low, and the state’s row crop producers planting more peanuts.
With that in mind, peanut producers are starting planting season earlier just because there’s more to plant this year.
“It’s still too early. We would hope they’d wait, but with what the acres are we’re planting this year, they’re going to go ahead and go,” Monfort said. “(The acreage is) more than I have ever seen.”