Hot days and warm nights have produced lots of head snag in Ontario winter wheat fields. RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson explains that a string of 30-degree days and 20-degree nights earlierthis spring promoted rapid growth in wheat fields just as the wheat crop was heading out. Those are perfect conditions for head snag. "Some of... Read More
Category: Crop Schools
Stripe rust is back again in Ontario wheat fields for the third consecutive year. The leaf disease first showed up in the province in 2016, and earlier this week Agromart agronomist Nicole Bloetjes reported 2018's first stripe rust sighting in a field near St. Marys. Should wheat growers be concerned? What should you do? In... Read More
The introduction of protein price discounts by at least one soybean buyer in Western Canada this past winter has left soybean growers wondering what can be done to ensure Prairie soybeans are high enough in protein content. Unfortunately, there's no quick or easy management fix, says Dennis Lange, pulse and soybean production specialist with Manitoba... Read More
What's the ideal depth for planting corn? What happens if you plant too shallow? In this episode of RealAgriculture's Corn School, PRIDE Seeds agronomist Aaron Stevanus digs into a seeding depth trial to show how planting depth can impact early-season growth. We catch up with Stevanus at the company's Elmira, ON, research site where he... Read More
Pulse planting conditions were mostly dry this spring, but many farmers were able to seed into moisture. In most cases, plant emergence has been good, and with recent rains the crop is ready to move into high gear. That means it's time to do some scouting! Dale Leftwich, Saskatchewan field editor for RealAgriculture, stopped in... Read More
Many agronomists talk about the importance of multiple modes of action when planning a weed control program. In this episode of RealAgriculture's Soybean School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist Mike Cowbrough shows you why. We catch up with Cowbrough as he surveys a patch of Canada fleabane that has survived... Read More
What's your strategy when scouting a newly emerged soybean field? When Agromart Group agronomist Steph Kowalski walks into a soybean field this time of year, the first thing she looks to assess is final emergence and population. "It's important to know how well we got that seed into the ground," Kowalski tells RealAgriculture's Bernard Tobin... Read More
Hot, humid weather across much of corn-growing areas of Ontario has the crop adding a leaf stage about every four days. As corn pops in to that 4-leaf to 5-leaf stage, it's time to get some dust on the boots and check three key aspects of early crop establishment: plant health, weed escapes, and planter... Read More
When should you consider switching corn and plant a shorter-season hybrid? That's a question many growers in some southwestern regions of Ontario are wrestling with as the calendar pushes ever closer to June. Spring weather conditions in many areas of the province have been good and planting is proceeding at a strong pace. However, heavy... Read More
The average size of a new grain bin in Western Canada has grown dramatically in recent years. 1,650 bushel flat-bottom bins, while still needed in some cases, are turning into relics of the past. "Right now, the average bin going up is around 25,000 bushels," says Lorne Grieger of the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI),... Read More