The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Recropping Potential is Poor to Fair for All of Chouteau County

The Chouteau County Soil Moisture Survey was started by Judee Wargo in 1993 to assist farmers in determining recropping potential on cereal grain stubble. After 30 years, the Chouteau County Extension Office continues to compile data for determining recropping potential and provide the state drought committee with soil moisture information.

Testing for soil moisture took place in Chouteau county on April 10-12. The only winter wheat plots that scored in the good range were two plots on the western border of Chouteau county, one plot straight east of Fort Benton, and the most northern plot on Rudyard Road. Excluding these four sites, the Paul Brown probe went from 13-24 inches in winter wheat which calculates to less than five inches of moisture in the soil. To get a 40-bushel winter wheat yield, we need five inches of rain during the growing season.

All of the stubble plots located in Chouteau County rated in the fair to poor range. Across the entire county, the Paul Brown probe went from 12-26 inches in the stubble which calculates to less than five inches of moisture in the soil. For poor locations, producers will need four inches of growing season precipitation to get a 25- bushel yield for barley. For spring wheat, poor locations will need five inches of rain during the growing season to get a 25-bushel yield.

Hard copies of the 2023 Soil Moisture Survey are available at the Chouteau County Extension Office or can be e-mailed upon request and on our website at montana.edu/extension/chouteau.

Montana State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Montana Counties Cooperating. MSU Extension is an equal opportunity/affirmative action provider of educational outreach.