OTTUMWA — Southern Iowa farmers will soon be putting in 14- to 16-hour days as planting season draws near.

It’s that time of year when the seed is purchased and the machinery is repaired.

Now, they wait for the weather to cooperate. The soil has to be warm enough to plant.

While they are waiting, there are other pre-planting preparations they can do.

Keokuk County Extension Director Gary Bickmeier said farmers are not able to just go out and plant whenever they want. If that were the case, he said, most farmers would probably already have their seed in the ground.

Before they get the tractor out to the field though, they need to check machinery, soil conditions and make sure they have all materials they will need.

It’s not a simple task.

Wapello/Keokuk County farmer Rod Sieren said there is somewhat of a science to planting and numerous factors that need to be considered.

One of the most important is soil temperatures.

Bickmeier said the ideal soil temperature for corn and soybeans is at least 60 degrees or above.

“There are some new seed treatments that allow farmers to get their seed planted earlier, but I don’t really know how many farmers use that,” he said.

Dave Klein, who farms in Keokuk County, said most farmers will go out in their fields with a regular thermometer and check the temperature in several areas for several days.

In a reading done on Thursday afternoon, ground temperature showed to be about 40 plus degrees on the outer portion of Sieren’s field.

In order to get an accurate reading, the thermometer should be placed no more than two inches below the soil.

“You do two inches because that is how deep you usually plant,” Klein said.