Hans Schmitz’s most recent column from IANA’s The Stomping Ground publication discusses variable soil conditions as we approach the winter season. Here are the highlights:
The average first freeze date has passed for most of Indiana without an actual freeze occurring.
Soil temperatures are still in the upper 50s to near 60 degrees.
Fall applied nitrogen should be avoided until soil temperatures are safely below 50 degrees.
Fall applied phosphorus may be actively cycling.
Parts of the state have entered drought conditions, which may reduce soil biological activity but also reduce winter wheat/cover crop germination and growth.
Where winter cash crops are actively growing, they may have excessive top growth prior to dormancy, necessitating some late winter/early spring crop scouting for damage.
Use of a nitrification inhibitor can slow the conversion of nitrogen into forms more vulnerable to loss
Use of a cover crop or other living green cover can take up soil nitrates that may move through the soil profile before spring time, reducing risk of nitrogen loss