Here we are in the middle of August, and Wisconsin is experiencing a bit of a cold snap. It’s a reminder that the changing of the seasons is, as always, under way.
As we move into the fall, day length begins to shorten at the same time the high temperatures give out. As a result, plant growth begins to decelerate, and that deceleration has a cumulative effect.
Along the 43rd latitude, where I have spent most of my life, there were 890 hours of sunlight between April 15 and June 15; there are 728 hours of sunlight between now and October 28, which is about the time we’d like to be out of the field around here, and pretty much when it’s too cold for things to grow outside.
As a farmer-friend told me long ago, a day’s difference in planting in the fall is like a week’s difference in planting in the spring.
While timelines matter at all times on the farm, it becomes doubly important with fall plantings. Spinach seeded on August 15 will size up for a November harvest, while spinach seeded September 1 probably won’t.
Cover crop effectiveness is especially enhanced with early plantings. Barley and peas seeded now will put on substantial growth before winter-killing, building carbon and protecting the soil. Two weeks from now, that cover crop will still make a difference for holding soil, but won’t put much back into the soil.
Solar Calculator
If you like this sort of thing (I do), you can download a rather comprehensive daylength calculator from NOAA. It includes just about everything you would want to know about the sun’s location relative to your location. Pretty fun and geeky.
As we move into the fall, day length begins to shorten at the same time the high temperatures give out. As a result, plant growth begins to decelerate, and that deceleration has a cumulative effect.
Along the 43rd latitude, where I have spent most of my life, there were 890 hours of sunlight between April 15 and June 15; there are 728 hours of sunlight between now and October 28, which is about the time we’d like to be out of the field around here, and pretty much when it’s too cold for things to grow outside.
As a farmer-friend told me long ago, a day’s difference in planting in the fall is like a week’s difference in planting in the spring.
While timelines matter at all times on the farm, it becomes doubly important with fall plantings. Spinach seeded on August 15 will size up for a November harvest, while spinach seeded September 1 probably won’t.
Cover crop effectiveness is especially enhanced with early plantings. Barley and peas seeded now will put on substantial growth before winter-killing, building carbon and protecting the soil. Two weeks from now, that cover crop will still make a difference for holding soil, but won’t put much back into the soil.
Solar Calculator
If you like this sort of thing (I do), you can download a rather comprehensive daylength calculator from NOAA. It includes just about everything you would want to know about the sun’s location relative to your location. Pretty fun and geeky.
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