We are receiving questions about how to handle soybean planting during excessively dry conditions throughout the state. Here are some common questions and our responses based on Extension research.

“Dusting in” refers to planting into completely dry soil as a way to get the seed planted while there is time, and then to wait on rain to get the seeds to germinate. This is generally not a recommended practice for soybeans. There is significant risk involved if the rain that does come is light, spotty, or delayed. Under those conditions, seed may absorb enough water to begin swelling but then dry back out before germination is completed. If that occurs, the seed can die. There is also some risk if a large rainfall event occurs before seedlings are established, particularly on soils prone to crusting, washing, or stand loss.

Farmers are concerned that soybean seeds will not be able to endure sitting in the soil for too long because of the high oil content of soybeans, which will cause the seeds to go bad. This is only a concern under both very hot and dry soil conditions. When soils are too dry for emergence and soil temperatures reach approximately 95 to 97°F, seed germination potential can begin to decline after roughly 3 to 5 days under those conditions. For that reason, planting into hot, dry soil is not advised when seed is likely to remain there for more than a few days before receiving enough moisture to germinate.

The NC State Climate Office monitors current soil temperatures across the state as well as many other weather conditions. You can easily use this tool to check the soil temperatures in your general area.

It is our recommendation at this point to hold off on planting soybeans until the optimal planting date window and until soil moisture conditions improve. Here are our recommendations:

Optimal planting depth for soybeans under optimal conditions is 1-2” deep. Plant into soil moisture. Planting depth should be no less than .5” deep and no more than 2.5” deep depending on soil type. Once the seed is fully germinated and emerges, the roots will grow into moisture that is below the soil surface.

The critical issue at planting is for the seed to:

1. have enough moisture to swell without drying out (physically absorbing 50% of its weight in water)
2. begin sprouting and establishing the root system and emerging from the ground (maintain at least 20% moisture).

Seedlings need very little moisture compared to larger plants. This article on Soybean Water Use 101 includes a graph indicating how much moisture a soybean plant needs at different growth stages.

The optimal planting dates for soybeans in North Carolina are the first two weeks of May, except for the Tidewater region where optimal planting dates are mid-to late April. Fortunately, the conditions in the Tidewater region are not as dry as in the central and western part of the state at this time (4/20/2026). In NC, soybean yields do not typically decline until planting is delayed past mid-May to the third week of May. Therefore we still have time to plant soybeans at the optimal planting time under favorable conditions in most of the state. If you would like to learn more about optimal planting dates in your region you can use our BeanPACK tool to identify the optimal planting dates, maturity groups and planting date-maturity group combinations for your region.

Soybean planting depth considerations when planting into dry soil conditions

The influence of soil temperature on soybean seed emergence

Effects of temperature stress on Soybean seeds