While the KVOE listening area remains in abnormally dry to extreme drought conditions, Lyon County Extension ag agent Brian Rees says there has been enough rain so local crops haven’t all been frying in the heat until this week.
Rees says there have been some “timely, sustaining” rains to keep many fields in good shape.
On KVOE’s Newsmaker 2 segment Tuesday, Rees said crop conditions depend on location. Corn crops with rainfall are largely in good shape, but crops that either haven’t gotten recent rain or have poorer soils have been “scalding” on top and drying significantly at the roots as subsoil moisture runs out. Beans have some leaf rolling where soils are thinner, while the winter wheat crop ended better than it could have been.
The next Drought Monitor weekly update will be Thursday morning. Currently, most of Lyon, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties are either abnormally dry or in moderate drought. Most of Chase, Coffey and Greenwood counties are in either severe or extreme drought.
