Back to Basics: 5 Crop Fundamentals That Maximize ROI for Your Growers

It sounds straightforward: Control what you can to get crops off to a strong start, so they finish the season even stronger. Yet, doing so is not always so simple in practice when agronomic and daily management challenges arise and demand attention.

Use the following recommendations to do the right things at the right times and focus on the fundamentals of crop success that will net the most efficient return on your investment.

1. Know your soil’s story.

Success begins with the soil. Without understanding your soil’s unique profile, you can’t be 100% sure which nutrients to apply, how to apply them and when to apply them.

“It all starts with soil health, regardless of what crop you have in that block or in that field, that doesn’t change,” says Juan Rosales, Wilbur-Ellis Sales Manager, South San Joaquin Valley, based in Fresno, California. “Success begins with analytics, understanding what your field lacks and what its soil can deliver.”

For example, use grid sampling results to better address soil fertility issues or other crop-limiting factors. That insight can help you decide whether fixing the issue will pay off.

“If you don’t know what your problems are, how do you know what it’s going to cost to remedy them?” says Rosales.

2. Scout early and often.

Only with regular scouting can the challenges affecting crop performance be identified and the right solutions are recommended.

Scout for weeds, and not from the cab of your pickup. Walk your crops, vineyards and orchards. Good early season weed control is more imperative than ever because of resistant weeds. You may not realize how much more costly it can be when you let weeds get away from you.

Evaluate the effectiveness of your pre-emergence weed control program and determine if future changes are needed.

Then, carefully plan and execute needed post-emergence weed control programs based on weed pressure and species present.

3. Take tissue samples. Don’t guess.

Invest in tissue analysis to get the information needed to maximize the benefits of in-season plant nutrition. These results help you and your agronomist spot and fix nutrient gaps before they hurt your yield.

“Tissue samples help evaluate which nutrients may be missing and help develop a foliar feeding program to give the plants what they need when they need it,” says Rosales. The results tell a story you can’t always see with your eyes, but have a significant impact on yield.

In a difficult commodity price year, tissue sampling also provides growers with another form of risk management.

If you have tissue test results and determine exactly what inputs are needed, growers then know their return on investment, making foliar applications less risky because they can make up the money spent with a higher crop output.

4. Monitor factors affecting crop potential.

As things heat up for the summer, this is the best time to revisit how much water your orchard or vineyard needs. Check historical records. Plan with facts, not assumptions.

In addition, assess water quality to ensure it doesn’t include unwanted salts or other elements that can limit crops or crop protection tool effectiveness. Water conditioners and adjuvants are often smart investments to overcome water quality challenges.

This is also the time to assess the crop load compared to last year and determine the inputs needed to reach maturity.

“There are moments during the year when you must make important decisions, and right now, in almonds and grapes, it’s time to ask, ‘OK, are we on track?’” says Rosales. “Take time to determine inputs needed and whether you’ll get a return on your investment. Don’t simply follow the same program because that’s the way you’ve always done it.

“In grapes, for example, conduct bunch counts and weigh the expected crop against the cost of planned inputs. If market prices don’t support your original plan, now’s the time to pivot. Seek cost-effective solutions that will protect vineyard productivity today and into the future.”

5. Turn off emotions.

Lastly, remove emotions from decisions, as difficult as that may be. Rely on expert, data-based advice from trusted partners and advisors.

Crop prices matter. But in tough years, smart management matters even more. Spend your money where it needs to be spent and understand what’s going on in the field to make the best decisions possible.

“When you make decisions based on emotions instead of facts, it costs you money,” Rosales concludes.