Early April's warm temperatures and recharged soil moisture from snowmelt are en­couraging Iowa farmers that the 2023 growing season will be successful following three years rife with drought concerns.

As temperatures soar near 80 degrees this week, planters will likely start rolling in parts of the state, especially in southern Iowa where the topsoil has dried and there’s adequate subsoil moisture.

“We have two different theories,” said Jim Anderson, who farms in Decatur County near Leon. 

“Some are thinking they’re going to wait awhile, and then we have some say they’re going to go with beans because they think it’s going to be dry.”

With warmer than average forecasted temperatures, some beans could go in by late week in Anderson’s area. Growers are applying anhydrous and dry fertilizer as temperatures rise.

“A lot of us will be planting corn once the ground temperature gets into the 50s,” Anderson said. “Last year we were sitting around waiting for it to warm up.”

In central...