Even when there are clues to be found in the field, farmers often overlook them simply because they do not know what they are looking for, or when they should be looking again. Many are tempted to walk out into a field, see that everything appears fine and move on. Two days later they come back to find a problem that has become a little more difficult to manage. The ability to observe crops is something that must be practiced, not something that comes by instinct. It will improve when you focus your attention, make your observations more detailed and give yourself a reason to make a return visit instead of just going out to take a look around and playing a guessing game. Start by selecting a small portion of one of your fields that you can easily return to for future visits.
Each time you visit stand in the same place and make observations about your crops from the top of the plant down to the soil. Note the color of the leaves, the strength of the stalks, the uniformity of the spacing, the moisture in the soil and any differences from one row to the next. Then walk in closer and observe differences between the older and newest leaves. Often times the newest growth will show signs of stress before the rest of the leaves. If you find one area that appears to be struggling don’t jump straight into a solution. Instead, walk over to an adjacent area that appears healthy and compare the two. Sometimes making a comparison makes it easier to see something that may not be as obvious when looking at a single area alone.
Perhaps the most common pitfall is only taking the time to observe your field when you already notice something is wrong. This will train your eye to pick up damage, but not early signs of stress. Another pitfall is to make general observations such as “the plants look weak” or “they need more water.” While these observations may seem helpful at the time, they are less useful in hindsight. Instead try recording exactly what you see, such as “the edges of the leaves are curling in,” “there is a lighter green color between the veins,” or “the plants on the windy side of the field are not growing as quickly.”
Recording exactly what you see will make it easier to notice patterns from one day to the next, and it is these patterns that will ultimately help you make improvements. Start with a simple 15-minute observation routine, four times a week. The first 5 minutes should be spent simply looking at the field without touching anything. Allow your eyes to take in the shape, the color and the uniformity of the plants. The next 5 minutes can be spent making a more detailed observation of just two or three plants. Look at the tops and undersides of the leaves, take note of how much fruit has set and make observations about the soil and the area immediately surrounding the plants. Finally, spend 5 minutes writing down your observations.
Try making a short field note in simple, everyday language. If you notice the same issue more than two days in a row you may want to make a note of it to follow up again on your next visit, but try not to react. This will help you to establish a consistent routine and practice patience, which can be just as important as reacting. If you start to feel like you are simply repeating yourself, that is probably when your observation routine is actually starting to work. The more you get used to your field, the more easily you will be able to detect subtle changes. An area that formerly looked uniformly green to you may start to show variations in color or growth rate, and these are the details that are important.
If you’re still unsure try going out to the same place in the field each time with a camera. At the end of the week, lay your photos side by side. Gradually changes that were difficult to detect while standing in the field will become more apparent. With time and practice your powers of observation will improve your judgment and your judgment will make every other decision you make in the growing process that much more informed.