It's an unfortunate thing, but farmers in each of the Prairie Provinces must think about clubroot this spring and throughout the growing season. While it's still overwhelmingly most common in the Edmonton area, clubroot spores have been confirmed in both Saskatchewan and Manitoba fields. For those more acquainted with the threat, soil testing is one... Read More
Category: Agronomy
You may have heard once or twice the terms “C3” or “C4” plants. Generally speaking, most of our crops and plants in Western Canada are C3. C3 plants are usually what you see growing in our fields, including wheat, canola, lentils, peas and barley. These plants are known as cool season crops and will yield... Read More
The s-tine field cultivator isn't the most complicated piece of equipment you'll have on the farm, but it sure can prove handy, especially in a less than ideal spring planting season. As Jim Boak, with Salford Machinery, explains in this Corn School video, the s-tine unit's unique vibration pattern means it's well suited to working... Read More
Will Western Canada's winter ever end? Well, yes, of course it will, it's just taking its jolly sweet time moving on out and letting spring begin in earnest. While current conditions seem very dire, somehow Drew Lerner manages to turn all this snow and cool weather into a positive, as you'll hear in this RealWeatherWatch... Read More
Just when you think you're getting somewhere on disease management, the disease population shifts just enough to stay competitive. Fusarium, with its many strains and staying power on residue, is a constant thorn in the side of many Manitoba farmers, but it's also increasingly an issue for Alberta and Saskatchewan farmers as well. What's more,... Read More
Only a few months ago, soybeans were the darling crop of nearly every farmer from Manitoba to Alberta. The crop could do no wrong, it seemed, and everyone wanted a piece of this nitrogen-fixing pie. Acres in Manitoba were set to surpass a million if you asked someone in January, but here we are in... Read More
The drive to get on the field to plant in a timely manner can sometimes overshadow the importance of planting only when the soil is ready. What's more, if there's any tillage to be done before planting, a late start can start feeling very late indeed. But if you head out planting before the soil... Read More
Flea beetles, those tiny, hungry pests, feed on seedling leaf tissue in your canola fields almost every season. Their feeding on young canola plants causes the most economic damage. Understanding the pest and its lifecycle can help determine when control may be necessary, even if you've used a seed treatment. The two dominant species of... Read More
I'm sitting looking at a giant white wall of snow and wind blow around my window. While I've seen far worse snow days, it's one of the colder, wetter, whiter April 15ths I've seen. Twitter was a-buzz this morning with predictions of when seeding will start for most of Western Canada. That date pushes farther... Read More
#ABbugchat will make its debut on Twitter tomorrow, Tuesday, April 16 at 10 am (11 am central). Many of us may be unfamiliar with this communication venue so perhaps it is best to do some preparation ahead. #ABbugchat will run weekly from mid-May to Mid-August. This year that means May 14 to August 13. It... Read More