We generally see our highest yields when we plant in mid May. Sometimes yield of peanuts planted in late April and early May equal yield of mid-May planting dates. And sometimes early June planting dates can result in high peanut yields. In our planting date, work I do not recall times when early and late plantings (early May or early June) out-yielded mid-May plantings. And on some occasions mid-May planting dates out-yielded both early May and early June plantings. There are many logistical reasons to plant early (late April and early May), but there are times when yield of the early plantings will be lower than planting in mid-May.

Make sure you have a good thrips management program in place if you plant early. Peanuts can emerge slowly and grow off slowly when they emerge in early to mid-May. Peanuts can at times struggle to outgrow thrips damage when temperatures are cool, so be ready for an acephate spray within the first few weeks after planting if needed.