Smith Fertilizer & Grain

Harvest Update: Yields, Disease Pressure, and Fungicide Lessons

Harvest is progressing with solid yields, though corn is averaging 20–25 bushels less than last year due to Southern Rust and excess rain. Fungicide has been a clear difference-maker, with trial...

Sep 29, 2025

Smith Fertilizer & Grain

Now is the Time to Plan Your Fall Fertilizer Application

While most crops are still in the field, it's not too early to begin planning your fall fertilizer application. Applying fertilizers such as NH₃ (anhydrous ammonia), phosphorus (P), potassium (K),...

Sep 22, 2025

Smith Fertilizer & Grain

Harvest Season: Taking Notes for Next Year

Harvest has started in our area, and with the heat and breeze this weekend there will likely be more combines in the field than sitting next to the shop. From the few fields that have already been har...

Sep 15, 2025

Smith Fertilizer & Grain

Rapid Changes, Early Harvest?

The corn crop in our northwestern trade area has changed quickly over the past few weeks. Silage choppers are already running, and many fields have either reached black layer or have only a small mil...

Aug 25, 2025

Smith Fertilizer & Grain

Cover Crop Planning

The state fair is already half over and in just a week or two schools will be back in session. Crops in my area look pretty good despite, in some cases, maybe a little too much rain. I never thought I...

Aug 11, 2025

Smith Fertilizer & Grain

Late-Season Fungicide Applications

The big question right now is whether fungicide is still worth applying on corn and soybeans this late in the season.

Aug 04, 2025

Smith Fertilizer & Grain

A Wet Surprise: Fungicide Season Is Here

The summer of 2025 has turned out to be the exact opposite of what many farmers and climatologists expected. Instead of the predicted dry conditions, we've seen above-average rainfall and wide tem...

Jul 28, 2025

Smith Fertilizer & Grain

Summer Fungicide Time

The crops in this area all look good. Beans are starting to turn dark green, and most corn fields are tasseled. So far, I have found very few diseases in corn and the weed control has been excellent i...

Jul 21, 2025

Smith Fertilizer & Grain

Watch Out for Tar Spot

Fungus is just starting in fields and scouting right now is extremely important. The hot button for the last couple of years has been tar spot and currently we have not seen any in Marion County. The ...

Jul 14, 2025

Smith Fertilizer & Grain

Stay ahead of fungal development

Corn has grown rapidly this week, and I expect we’ll start seeing tassels by the 4th of July. With the added moisture, conditions are ideal for fungus development in both corn and soybean fields...

Jun 30, 2025