Cotton Beginning to Emerge

Based on reports, it looks like Hale County is doing well on planting and emergence. There have been some reports of cotton being shanked from cotton unable to push through the surface because of soil crusting.

With a chance of thunderstorms and the threat of hail damage, replanting always is a difficult decision. After a hail storm, even a small one, you need to check damage quickly and access the damage.

Someone asked me the question on growing degree days. If you have a high of 90 and a low of 60, that will be 150. Divide that by two and that will give you 75, then subtract 60 and that will give you 15 growing degree units for that day.

As far as diseases, things look well so far. The main seedling diseases we need to watch out for are pythium and rhizoctonia. Pythium is looked at as water molds and damage is more severe in poorly-drained soils. In rhizoctonia, seedlings experience delay in emergence due to wet, cool soil conditions or extreme planting depths, and those injured by blowing sand are more susceptible to injury.  Always scout your fields early and note for management tactics to battle disease.

Irrigation Meeting

Glen Schur Farm
From 9-11 a.m. Thursday, June 21, Extension Ag Economist Jeff Pate will be showing his irrigation management model and different soil depth watering probes on the Glen Schur Farm. Please call the Hale County Extension office if you plan to attend, 806-291-5267.

Master Gardener classes will begin June 12.

You can still sign up on Tuesday, June 12, with the first class running from 6-9 p.m. The program will continue through the summer.

Gary Cross is Texas AgriLife
Extension ag and natural
resource agent in Hale County.
gary.cross@ag.tamu.edu
http://hale.agrilife.org