It might seem counter-intuitive, but slowing down corn emergence may actually boost yields. Last fall, RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson took a close look at corn research plots and concluded that optimum distance between corn plants matters far less than uniform emergence. He also discovered that achieving perfectly uniform emergence takes planting deep. We already know… Read More
Planting is rolling on, even if it is verrrry slowly for parts of Ontario. Meanwhile, crops are emerging well in many parts of the Prairies. This week’s Wheat Pete’s Word tackles some timely topics, such as creative ways to apply N to hungry wheat, why starter fertilizer is almost always worth it on corn, and… Read More
If you have weeds pop up prior to planting soybeans you can control them with a burndown herbicide application. But what happens when rain and wind conspire to prevent you from applying a burndown and you have to control weeds after planting? That’s the situation many Ontario growers are facing in 2019 as the wet… Read More
Seeding; the time of year when we put the crop in the ground, help it as much as we can, and then when we can do nothing more for the upcoming crop — we wait. Producers are continuously wondering how many of the seeds put in the ground will emerge and become viable plants. In… Read More
As May 15 approaches and the rain continues to fall across Ontario, growers need to start thinking about whether they should be dialling back their chosen soybean maturity range. Research shows growing a longer-season variety can put an additional four to five bushels in the bin if they’re planted by mid-May, says AGRIS Co-operative agronomist… Read More
So your winter wheat crop is looking rough and you plan to abandon it and plant another crop when the field dries up. What will you plant? RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson has one word for you — corn. When it comes to the health of Ontario soils, Johnson believes farmers in the province are already… Read More
Planters are parked across Ontario as rain-soaked and flooded fields are far from fit for corn seed. But soil conditions can turn around in a hurry with better weather and there’s still plenty of yield potential for growers to chase, says Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) corn lead Ben Rosser. In… Read More
Chances are, if you live in Ontario, it’s wet, cold, or a combination of both in your neck of the woods and farmers are itching to get out and plant. Not to worry, you’re not alone according to Peter ‘Wheat Pete’ Johnson in this episode of the Word. Johnson says there are a lot of… Read More
Whether you’re spraying fungicides on corn, soybeans or cereals, the application can deliver a solid return on investment if it suppresses disease and builds and protects yield potential. The story is the same for alfalfa, says BASF business representative and agronomist Ken Currah. He says livestock farmers are looking for yield and protein to make… Read More
Alert! Alert! Alert! It’s May — time to panic! Wait, no, not yet. Yes, weather conditions in both eastern and western Canada have been less than ideal for different reasons, but while farmers are absolutely itching to get rolling in the field, it’s not late…yet. That said, Wheat Pete’s Word host Peter Johnson knows that… Read More
Canola growers are asking whether they should chase moisture this spring across dry regions of Western Canada. That’s a question Canola Council of Canada agronomist Autumn Barnes tackles on this episode of RealAgriculture’s Canola School. “If growers have to chase moisture down to 1.5 or even two inches, they’re putting a lot of pressure on… Read More
Nobody likes counting soybean plants to determine whether a field needs to be replanted. It’s never fun, but it’s now easier thanks to the Bean Cam phone app. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, University of Wisconsin-Madison soybean extension specialist Shawn Conley explains how growers can use the app to do quick and… Read More
Your perfect stand of canola and someone else’s idea of a perfect stand of canola could be significantly different. More than that, any two seed lots could have a significantly different seed size, and that translates to having to move away from one “rule of thumb” pounds per acre seeding rate. Seed is expensive, too,… Read More
Every week should be soil week, but this week especially as we mark National Soil Conservation week. Wheat Pete’s Word host Peter Johnson challenges listeners to think differently about soil in this week’s edition — at a minimum, stay off the darn fields while they’re wet, and feed that soil some residue! Also this week,… Read More
What’s yellow, baled, and wanted all over? Straw of course! The pretty sad wheat crop in Ontario has many farmers asking, “what’s straw worth?” and, “which cereal crop will give me the most?” Host Peter ‘Wheat Pete’ Johnson tackles that question and so much more in this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word. Hear more about straw… Read More