As planting season slowly drags on this cold and wet spring, soybean growers are being left with questions about how to stay prepared for the right time to plant. Growers should take heed to these eight tips from AgWeb to get the most of soybean planting this year:

1. In a series of stops and starts, be ready to go when weather allows. Be sure your planter is set to singulate well, to help create a uniform pod load.
2. Pay attention to emergence date. For soybeans, emergence date is the main driver for soybean production over planting date.
3. Wait for favorable soil conditions. Don’t jump the gun and pack in a crop with mud.
4. Consider row spacing. Early May planting will result in higher yields than planting in late May or June regardless of row spacing. However, narrow rows are more advantageous in late-planting because they capture sunlight more quickly.
5. Be prepared for diseases. Brown stem rot and soybean cyst nematode can be a problem, especially if you do narrow rows.
6. Mix maturity groups to avoid all your soybeans being caught in the same adverse weather.
7. Invest in potassium. Maintaining potassium levels has shown to relieve disease and insect pressure.
8. Don’t give up on what you plant, even if you planted in less-than-favorable conditions since soybeans don’t carry the same yield penalty seen in corn for less-than-ideal stands.

Read more on soybean planting tips this spring here.