Wheat Pete’s Word, Jan 12: Top soil loss, N tie-up and rye, rising corn prices, and being resilient

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What’s in that snoil? That’s snow and soil, in case you’re wondering (AKA snirt). That’s that “little” skiff of brown or black snow in ditches and in fact, there’s a heck of a lot of good stuff in that snoil.

From nutrients to organic matter, top soil moved by wind erosion is some of the best parts of your field blowing away, explains Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson, in this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, recorded on the road on his way to Havre, Montana. Also in this week’s episode, nitrogen tie-up in cover crop systems, soil pH decreases, and more!

Have a question you’d like Johnson to address or some yield results to send in? Disagree with something he’s said? Leave him a message at 1-888-746-3311, send him a tweet (@wheatpete), or email him at [email protected].

SUMMARY

  • Failure isn’t final
  • Send that feedback — don’t feel bad to challenge Wheat Pete or tell him you disagree. Points of view are important
  • The SNIRT/SNOIL is rampant (soil and snow blowing around). The best of the best is what blows off, y’all
  • Kansas is so dry, the winter wheat is only NOW starting to germinate
  • Steve Larocque built a passive house (is it warm enough?) -24 degrees C, all the heat off, and let’s see what happens, for 12 hours it gained half a degree!
  • Pete made it to Havre, Montana
  • Low pH and N fertility link in western regions
  • 3.8 pH, whoa
  • The results aren’t the same across the field, of course
  • 100 lb per acre for 10 years can equal a 1.4 pH drop. Higher moisture areas are less at risk
  • Could corn go to $10/bushel?
  • Steve Kell reminds us about the impact of inflation — we’re not nearly as used to it as say, South American economies
  • Cover crops! 60 pounds more N to cycle rye through the soil health system (keep it out of the tiles, please)
  • But, will that change over time? We don’t know that yet
  • Winter wheat is not that responsive to potash. But in some crops it is going to cost you yield to skip it (or phos!)
  • Wireworm in PEI? Red clover feeds and supports predators of wireworm

Other Episodes

Wheat Pete's Word (view all) Season 8 (2022) Episode 51
Episodes:

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