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Peanut farmers are slowly getting into the fields with their planters to start planting this crop.
The main concern right now is the lack of moisture. The drought in the southeast is severe and many farmers have not received any rain and the other showers were just scattered. Rains in the region this week will help somewhat, but it’s still a lot of places that have not received enough rain to plant their crop.
Temperatures in April have also been cool in the mornings as soil’s temperature should be at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit at the 4-inch depth for three consecutive days before planting a peanut seed. The Rexall Research reports that the highest yield potential from planting peanuts is between May the 11th to May 31st. That’s when you get the best yields.
So a little bit of time now to decide when to plant and what variety to plant. Moisture becomes the key factor right now as the crop is about ready to be planted before rain occurs. Some farmers have already started irrigation to make sure a good stand of peanut plants get germinated and get started growing.
So, peanut planting time just around the corner, but the ideal situation is not available yet for this crop.
Audio Reporting by Tyron Spearman for Southeast AgNet.