This is the final report of the season as we wrap up our scouting program this year and all of our scouts go back to school. I will continue to send out information in between newsletters that I feel is important and needs immediate attention. At this time we have two main areas of focus, watching blooms to the top of the plant as we approach our final bloom date of August 26th to August 28, and the handful of insects that are out and about in the area.

We need to try and finish up blooming by about the 28th in order to allow these uppermost blooms enough time to fully mature by the end of the season. Even though it is hotter than usual now, you never know when that first cold front will blow in and shut these plants down for the year. On average it is about October 12th when we not accumulating heat units. Oct. 1-12 we average 122 heat units. Oct 13th thru November 30th we average 131. Trying to finish up those bolls at the end of the year will generally sacrifice the quality of the first bolls set in order to finish those final bolls and the grades will be poorer.

Stink bugs are slowly increasing in some areas around the three counties but as of yet are not really a problem. They still need to be checked on a regular basis, especially as we continue with harvest of these grain fields. Aphids remain in almost every field around but are really only serving as a food source for our beneficials at this point. They should be watched to make sure they do not get away, especially if an application has to be made for stink bugs at some point. Spider mites have been building in quite a few dry land fields in the area, primarily along turn-rows and where we have a lot of oilfield traffic. To this point they are not a problem, but again, they need to be monitored. I do not see a lot of folks treating for spider mites unless you have one of the really good dry land fields and the spider mites probably won’t get out of hand unless you make another application first. That’s a lot to through at a dry land crop with no rain in the forecast.