Bertha armyworm larvae can come in many colours, ranging from green to brown-black, often later sporting an orange stripe along each side, and as they grow, so does the damage to the canola crop. According to the Canola Council of Canada, the worst damage tends to begin in July, as larvae moult through the last… Read More
Strip till corn is helping Mark Brock build a winning management system for his Staffa, Ont., farm. Brock started strip tilling back in 2015 with the objective of integrating manure from the farm’s chicken operation into a system that would help manage compaction, and further improve soil organic matter with the addition of cover crops…. Read More
A cool start, delayed seeding, dry conditions, then wild temperature swings, a frost or two, wind shear, and relentless flea beetle feeding: that’s what the Manitoba canola crop has been through, and it’s only mid-June. Angela Brackenreed, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada, says that while canola is a plastic and adaptable crop,… Read More
Ontario’s cool spring is having a huge impact on the soil release of nitrogen. RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson says he’s seen the impact on the wheat crop already, and growers will have to keep a sharp eye on nitrogen soil tests to ensure they’re meeting the needs of the growing corn crop. In this Corn… Read More
Your soybeans likely well-emerged in Manitoba, which means it’s time to take a look at stand establishment. This can sometimes be an overwhelming task when you are dealing with a few acres. In this episode of RealAgriculture’s Soybean School, Kara Oosterhuis talks to Dennis Lange, who is the industry development specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, about… Read More
If you are planning on applying a plant growth regulator to your wheat crop, you are most likely aware that proper timing is critical to success. But how do we know when that timing is right to get the most out of your crop? In this episode of RealAgriculture’s Wheat School, Jeremy Boychyn, agronomy research… Read More
Ontario’s corn crop — such that it is — is pretty much planted, as most growers are now turning their focus to soybeans. Across the province during the past month, corn was planted into a range of wet, miserable conditions. The question now is how will the seedlings handle the tough going and what can… Read More
Seeing dimpling on your canola leaves? Stem feeding? Chances are, it’s flea beetles causing the damage. This year in the southern prairies, flea beetles are becoming a significant issue, most likely in part due to dry conditions. And with neonicotinoids continuing to hit headlines, flea beetle control could become even more difficult in the coming… Read More
The 2019 Ontario wheat crop can best be described as a dog’s breakfast…and that’s perhaps being kind. What’s left in the fields varies from not bad, to not too bad but with dead patches, to relatively uniformly poor and stagey. Depending on the field, the challenges are different. Uniform fields are easy to manage when… Read More
Clubroot. Many producers have the viewpoint of “We don’t have it in our area, so we don’t need to sanitize.” This isn’t an alert that clubroot has spread — it’s an acknowledgment that it could come to your area, even if you are in a non-traditional clubroot zone, which is why growers have to be careful… Read More
When it comes to canola crops, it’s important to keep the field clean from the start, in order to ensure your canola has the best possible chance at growing to its full potential. In this episode of RealAgriculture’s Canola School, Kara Oosterhuis talks to Keith Gabert, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada, about… Read More
It’s May 29, and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture soybean specialist Horst Bohner has yet to plant any soybeans. It’s the latest planting season he’s experienced in 18 years on the job. It’s the same story for growers across the Ontario where soybean planting is estimated at five to 10 per cent complete. As the rain… Read More
Across the Western Prairies, flea beetles are starting to pop up in canola crops. As your canola crop moves from the cotyledon stage to the first true leaf stage, you want to ensure you are keeping an eye on potential feeding. In this episode of Real Agriculture’s Canola School, Kara Oosterhuis talks to Autumn Barnes,… Read More
Ontario is dotted with fields of “wimpy wheat.” That’s what RealAgriculture agronomist, Peter Johnson is calling late-emerging, thin, spindly winter wheat that lacks vigour and did not tiller. In this episode of RealAgriculture Wheat School, Johnson explains these plants are simply suffering from cold injury after a rugged Ontario fall and an equally tumultuous spring… Read More
Many fields in Western Canada are starting to see the emergence of canola cotyledons, making it prime time to start scouting, and assessing stand establishment. In this Canola School, Autumn Barnes, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada, says her favourite trick for assessing stand establishment is to use her bright yellow hula hoop…. Read More