What 2026 Is Teaching Us About Planting, Soil Health & Crop Stress

Welcome back to Season 2 of RhizoMetRx! After taking a break during the heart of the 2026 growing season, Faith Lois is back with an agronomic quick hitter and a look at what she’s seeing in the fields across Northern Illinois, Southern Wisconsin, and beyond. From a wet spring and difficult planting conditions to uneven emergence, challenging herbicide windows, and major rainfall events, 2026 has already given growers plenty to think about.Faith breaks down why the planter pass can set the trajectory for the entire growing season, why high-speed planting isn't always the answer, and how planting depth, soil conditions, residue, and early-season stress can show up months later in the crop. She also looks ahead to grain fill and harvest while challenging growers to think differently about crop management heading into 2027: before reaching for the next product, technology, or piece of equipment, start with the soil.In this episode, you’ll learn:The Planter Pass Matters: How planting depth, speed, soil conditions, and compaction can influence root development, nutrient availability, and crop performance all season long.A Planting Depth Hot Take: Why Faith believes planting deeper can lead to better root establishment and more consistent nutrient availability—and why high-speed planters aren't right for every field.What Uneven Tasseling Reveals: How variability in tassel emergence can help identify differences in soil type, moisture, planting depth, and early-season crop stress.Why Dry Junes Can Build Big Crops: How favorable moisture conditions can increase nutrient mineralization while reducing nutrient loss and why timing matters.The Residue Management Problem: Why higher-yielding corn, tougher stalks, and more corn-on-corn acres are making traditional one-pronged residue management strategies less effective.Stress Mitigation Is Always the Goal: From herbicide applications to saturated soils and heat, Faith explains why maximizing sugar production and minimizing crop stress should be a priority every year—not just in difficult growing seasons.As you evaluate your 2026 crop and begin thinking about 2027, Faith challenges you to look beyond the latest products and technologies and start with the resource that ultimately drives everything: your soil.After You Listen: Subscribe to RhizoMetRx to stay updated on new episodesShare this episode with fellow growers, consultants, or agronomy professionalsInterested in the September 3rd Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition Meeting? Reach out for details to [email protected] the conversation—send your questions, field observations, or feedback to [email protected].