Rainfall boosts wheat, helps trees and shrubs

Dry weather was boding poorly for the tri-county region served by the University of Missouri's Extension Center until fitful showers starting last week brought the area more than two inches of rain.

Moundville has been luckier than Nevada, with .73 of an inch to Nevada's .24 last Wednesday and early Thursday, but Nevada has garnered 2.13 inches altogether during the verdant period beginning three days ago, said Extension Agronomy Specialist Pat Miller, who works in Bates, St. Clair and Vernon counties.

"The winter wheat was really hurting, and these rains will build up the soil profile and get some water for the ponds," said Miller, reporting 2.13 inches since last Wednesday.

"You hate to go into winter with the soil dry because freezing is really hard on the trees and shrubs. Even though a tree is big, most of its roots are in the top six to 12 inches."

Springfield, Mo. National Weather Service meteorologist Andy Boxell said Thursday that while Vernon County had been dry lately, the 42.75 inches of precipitation it has had this year is a little above normal.

Boxell said snow can be unpredictable, but current La Nina weather patterns in the Equatorial Pacific may presage a warmer cold season with more rain than snow. "The rain has come in fits and spurts in your area this year," he said.

"Forecasting snow is tricky, but you may see lower snowfall with normal or above-normal precipitation -- less snow but more moisture in the form of water."

Miller said Thursday that the Nevada region had more winter wheat planted in September and October because more seed was available from last spring's crop. "Some farmers who planted wheat and grass had not had much come up or it hadn't gotten a good start," she said.

Miller explained that relatively little wheat was planted in fall 2009 because the ground was too wet from summer rainfall.

Area farmers also grow corn, soybeans, milo and small fruits and vegetables that will benefit from the improved subsoil moisture tables next year, she said.

Miller said the amount of acreage planted in wheat in the three counties won't be known until the crop is harvested next June.