University of Wisconsin specialists Harkirat Kaur and Shawn Conley said on May 14 that corn and soybean growers should not rush into replanting despite slow crop emergence, shrinking planting windows, and cool soils. They emphasized that field conditions, stand uniformity, and return on investment are more important factors than the calendar date.
The topic is important as many farmers face tough decisions about whether to replant after weather-related setbacks or suboptimal growing conditions. These choices can have significant financial implications for their operations.
Kaur, an Extension corn specialist at the university, advised diagnosing the cause of any stand loss before considering replanting. “Are you seeing stand loss because of seedling issues? Was the hybrid vigor not there? Is there waterlogging? Those things are important to understand, because replanting a field which is damaged is still an extra cost that we incur,” Kaur said. She added that a uniform stand at a lower population can be preferable to higher populations with gaps: “A uniform stand at a low population is better than having a stand which is at a higher population but has quite a few gaps in it.”
When evaluating whether to replant, Kaur recommended patience if crops show potential for recovery after events like frost or hail. “It is always good to give the crop some time to recover,” she said. She provided an example where stress reduced plant stands from 34,000 to around 18,000 per acre—about 60%–65% of target—which could reduce yields significantly but might still make sense financially depending on costs and potential returns: “That would bring us to a net of around $675 per acre…a net advantage of replanting of about $70 to $72 per acre.” However, she cautioned that “Replanting only when the ROI is likely to be positive is critical.”
Kaur also linked timing decisions with nitrogen management due to natural gas price volatility affecting fertilizer costs: “Natural gas is very critical for agricultural production…when we are looking at overall gas price instability…it reflects in our agricultural cost anywhere between two to eight weeks when it is happening at the global scale.” She encouraged soil analysis before applying more nitrogen.
For soybeans, Conley advised minimal changes except possibly narrowing row width: “In short, basically don’t change anything except maybe narrow your soybean rows up if you can.” He noted no need for increased seeding rates unless weed pressure was high or stands fell below 60,000 plants per acre; in such cases he suggested repair planting rather than full resets: “If it is under 60,000 just do a repair plant…you just go into that field…and then just plant into your existing stand.”
Conley also pointed out yield penalties associated with delayed planting and wider row spacing late in spring: “You’re going to see a yield penalty if you stick with the 30-inch rows.” He encouraged use of narrower planters if available.
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Looking ahead, both experts stressed careful consideration before taking action. As Conley concluded regarding current priorities: “It’s time to prioritize corn planting…if possible.”
