Planning Beyond the Combine: October Priorities for a Strong Finish

October in Nebraska signals more than just harvest; it’s the handoff between this season’s work and next season’s potential. At Kaup Seed & Fertilizer, we’re here to help you finish strong and start smarter.

As corn and soybeans come out of the field, now’s the time to tackle the key decisions that will shape your 2026 crop plan—while the field is still open and the data is still fresh.

Here’s where to focus your energy this October:

1. Prioritize Safe, Timely Harvest and Storage

Combines may be running wide open, but grain quality still comes down to timing and moisture.

• Monitor moisture levels closely—especially in early-maturing or stressed fields. 
• Keep yield monitors calibrated to ensure you’re capturing useful harvest data. 
• Prep bins early, and don’t overlook fan checks, seal integrity, or insect control. 
• Be strategic about which fields you harvest first. Prioritize standability and stress signs. 

Your harvest pass is also your best opportunity to capture hybrid performance and evaluate what worked where.

Need help with monitor setup or yield map collection? Our precision team is here to assist.

2. Sample Your Soils While Conditions Hold

Soil sampling in October offers a stable window before freeze-up and gives you the full off-season to plan accordingly. It also gives you the chance to:

• Pull post-harvest data: Use current crop removal to fine-tune nutrient needs. 
• Run grid or composite samples: We offer both, depending on your goals, equipment, and acres. 
• Build VRT prescriptions now to combat high fertilizer pricing—before the spring rush. 

What you sample today shapes how you feed the crop tomorrow. Start with solid data.

Let us help you choose the best approach for your acres—grid or composite.

3. Get Ahead with Fall Applications and Burndown

Fall isn’t just clean-up—it’s an opportunity.

Kaup’s custom application team is out with:

• Fall burndown to manage tough weeds before overwintering 
  • Products to help alleviate trash buildup for next year’s planting  
• P and K applications to replenish soils and stabilize fertility heading into 2026 
• Starter planning if you’re evaluating new hybrids or seed placement 

A fall pass gives you cleaner fields, better nutrient availability, and more time margin in spring.

Now’s the time to get it on the schedule.

4. Turn Harvest Data into Decisions

Yield maps, trial strips, and hybrid performance, don’t let the value of that information disappear in the combine cab.

Once your fields are out, we can help:

• Analyze yield by soil zone 
• Evaluate product ROI (hybrids, fungicides, starter blends, Biologicals) 
• Identify limiting factors in this year’s results 
• Set up custom prescriptions for next season 

Every pass teaches us something. We’ll help you turn that insight into action.

Let’s Close the Season Strong

October is your chance to wrap up this year with confidence and build momentum into 2026.

Whether you need support with harvest logistics, sampling, fertility planning, or field data analysis, our team is here to help you get the most from every acre.

Talk to a Kaup advisor today.
Let’s find what fits your field.