When is the ideal time to plant soybeans?

Lance Tarochione, a technical agronomist with Monsanto, shares his solid rule of thumb for the optimum soybean planting date. “As early as you can, when the conditions are right,” he says. “Not 'as soon as we get done with corn.'”

Mark Schultz, also a technical agronomist with Monsanto, says he plans to be a little more patient on his own northern Illinois farm this spring. “I planted beans when the forecast wasn’t good,” he explains of 2016. “But I just wanted to get the beans planted.”

PERFECT WORLD: Agronomist Lance Tarochione says planting soybeans and corn at the same time is ideal. However, many operations only have one planter. If that’s the case, Tarochione advises getting corn in and switching to beans right away. “We used to wait to plant beans because we thought it was too early,” he says. “Don’t do that. Get corn done and go right into soybeans, if the conditions are right.”

Schultz admits that planting soybeans into cold and damp soils wasn’t the right decision, and he ended up replanting. “I didn’t use common sense,” he says. “And it wasn’t even getting too late.”

Tarochione says Monsanto’s planting date trials show that planting during the third week of April through the first week of May results in the highest-yielding soybeans. He adds that early-planted soybeans respond better to management practices, such as fungicide treatments. For example, a fungicide treatment on soybeans planted April 30 will provide a “better bang for the buck” than on soybeans planted June 1.

In comparison, planting date studies show that on a percentage basis, delaying corn planting from mid-April to mid-May results in less of a yield penalty than delaying soybean planting from mid-April to mid-May.

“You could argue we’re giving priority to the wrong crop, but I’m not going to go there,” says Tarochione. “I don’t want June-planted corn.”

PUSHING SOYBEAN YIELD: Mark Schultz (left) and Lance Tarochione, technical agronomists with Monsanto, talk about how planting dates, weed control, soil pH and the weather all impact soybean yield potential.

If your farm is equipped to handle planting corn and soybeans at the same time, Tarochione says that may be a consideration. “But I wouldn’t do anything that takes the focus off planting corn,” he adds.

Early-planted soybeans carry their own concerns, Schultz explains. Sudden death syndrome should be addressed through resistant genetics and seed treatments. And prior to emergence, soybeans are at risk for stand loss after heavy rains or cool conditions.

To avoid potential stand loss, Schultz says it’s about making good choices, listening to the weather forecast and waiting for the right conditions.