Strange weeds, changing leaves, burndown options, and crop lodging are all hot topics this week on Wheat Pete's Word. As always, host Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson has some Agronomy Answers to your top questions this week, plus some insights into the value of fungicide in oats and wheat this season, and why scouting edible beans... Read More
Category: Cover crops
Spring seeded cereals are on a real decline in Ontario, but the use of cover crops after wheat harvest is definitely on an upward trend. Why does that matter? Well, summer or fall seeded covers can help anchor soil, hold and cycle nutrients, and out-compete weeds. But, as Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson explains in this... Read More
To borrow a phrase, the first step is always the hardest. Taking the first step in planting cover crops or multi-species forage mixes are no exception and requires some careful analysis before deciding on what's right. Soil type, soil biology, and rainfall for each farm, as well as goals and expectations of cover crops can... Read More
It seems that everywhere you go right now, farmers are talking about cover crops. Producers across the country are not only using a diverse plant mix to provide feed for livestock, but also as potential solutions to compaction, a lack of nutrient availability, and to address weed issues in their fields. In this Farming Forward... Read More
As promised, Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson is answering the very difficult question of when to swap out corn hybrids on this episode of Wheat Pete's Word. If the weather doesn't cooperate for eastern Ontario growers especially, farmers may have to move to shorter season hybrids as early as next week. But don't worry, this week's... Read More
Cover crops can do a number of things, such as hold soil in place, cycle nutrients, suppress weed growth, and fix nitrogen. They can also interfere with planting and seeding the next crop if not terminated properly. There are several options available for terminating cover crops: choosing species that will winterkill (most of the time!),... Read More
Planting corn directly into a living cover crop before it is killed by herbicide or tillage is not something growers would have considered 30 years ago, says Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural affairs soil management specialist Jake Munroe. More and more farmers, however, are now willing to take the leap thanks to advances... Read More
Oh my goodness, what a wild swing in temperatures! Ontario hit some record high daytime temperatures for February, only to have a huge cold front move in that had already socked in the Prairies. As much as we'd all like to think this is spring, it only feels that way. The calendar still says February,... Read More
Cover crops can be a non-starter in dry areas of the Prairies — or are they? A lack of moisture is definitely a concern when working to establish cover crops; however, over the long term, farmers Derek and Tannis Axten of Axten Farms at Minton, Sask., are finding covers build soil water holding capacity. That's... Read More
A good portion of Ontario is nearing the end of what has been a very mild winter. Bare and sometimes thawed ground has many farmers asking if it's too early for clover, for frost seeding, for tillage, and for patching in wheat crops. There's also a saying that goes, "just because you can doesn't mean... Read More