Does your farm have the cleavers? In this episode of the Pulse School, Ken Sapsford, research assistant at the University of Saskatchewan, explains issues surrounding the abundance of cleavers across the prairies. With the shift towards no-till farming practices, cleavers, which were once considered a summer annual, are now overwintering, particularly in the presence of... Read More
Category: Crop Production
An nasty cold weekend has left many corn and wheat fields looking just a little sad over a huge area of southern Ontario. According to wheat specialist, Peter Johnson, wheat still in the boot should be fine, but fields with heads emerged could see some yield damage. Similarly, the staging of the corn crop at... Read More
According to the Manitoba government update, farmers made good seeding progress over the past week. Seeding is estimated to be 75% to 80% complete in the Southwest Region, 80% complete in the Northwest Region, 70-85% complete in the Central Region, 85% complete in the Eastern Region and 75-80% complete in the Interlake Region. In areas... Read More
The seeding pass is the most important one you make on your fields. This is true for annual crops, but perhaps even more so for perennial crops as these fields may need to produce for four, five or several more years. What's more, forages can be quite tricky to establish, as the seeds are typically... Read More
Crop diseases, including those that affect pulses, can develop quickly if conditions are ripe. Add to that that fungicide products are nearly all protective and not curative, and timing and application becomes crucial to effective use of the products. In this SoundCloud interview, Debra Murphy, Saskatchewan field editor for RealAgriculture.com, asks Glendy Clezy and Todd... Read More
There is such thing as too early to plant soybeans, as the crop does not fare well in cool conditions (one researcher likened it to the germinating seed having a "heart attack"). More commonly, however, we're worried about going in too late, as even the short season varieties are a tad on the long side... Read More
Oftentimes after seeding is finished there is a push to move right into herbicide mode, but you should be getting into the habit of checking out plant stands as soon as possible. How a crop emerges and establishes tells the story of seeder settings, soil management or early insect pressure, so it is a great... Read More
As planting season winds down, the To-Do list of little fixes starts to grow. The good news is that a little extra care and attention paid to machinery and equipment now will help speed along the set up process next spring when we get to do this all over again. The planter is such an... Read More
Editor's note: This is Owen Roberts' Real Talk, Real Action column. Each week, Owen will offer his insight into how farmers and the agricultural industry can participate in the rural- and ag-related discussions going on around them. Contact Owen at owen@uoguelph.ca or on Twitter at @TheUrbanCowboy. So you’ve done your homework, tested your feed for... Read More
While winter wheat is a darn hardy crop — just 15 plants per sq. foot growing in the spring can reach a very respectable yield potential — there are times when crops just don't make it through. The southwest corner of Manitoba is reporting some winter wheat issues, and crop insurance adjusters are out evaluating... Read More