Wasn’t that a snowstorm? Well, depending on where you are in Ontario, it was either the most snow in one storm in years, or hardly a flake fell. The onset of winter is the onset of learning season, but it’s always the learning season here on Wheat Pete’s Word. In this week’s podcast, settle in… Read More
Category: Fertility
There is a lot more going on beneath our feet than what meets the eye. Soil is home to billions upon billions of microbes that benefit plants. Beneficial bacteria and fungi are constantly interacting with plants and helping them to access nutrients, water, and other things that they might need within the growing cycle, explains… Read More
How does commercial nitrogen fertilizer impact soil organic matter? Does adding nitrogen burn up organic matter or does it actually enhance organic matter levels in farm soils? Earlier this year, Syngenta soil health assessment lead Jordan Wade and Washington State University agronomist Andrew McGuire teamed up to answer that question. After reviewing decades of academic… Read More
Mid-November seems a little late to be spraying in southern Ontario, but the warm temperatures have made for some great opportunities and fall weed control simply works, says Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson in this latest episode of Wheat Pete’s Word. Fall weed control is especially worth it on perennial sow thistle, Canada thistle and on… Read More
Demand for nitrogen fertilizer is relatively stable, given the very clear return on pounds applied. But farmers are looking for ways to scale back input costs, and other macronutrients, such as phosphorus, might be on the chopping block. In addition, large areas of the U.S. have turned wet, further decreasing the amount of fall fieldwork… Read More
A low soil pH just needs some lime and is good to go — right? Not necessarily so, explains Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson in this latest episode of Wheat Pete’s Word. Correcting low soil pH can be very difficult and expensive if the soil in question has plenty of buffering capacity, plus the pH problem… Read More
Two things are true when it comes to agriculture: where there are cattle, there is manure and where there are crops, there is a need for nutrients. Producers have found many ways to handle those two truths individually, but research is showing that some things really are better together. Feedlot operators have been spreading manure… Read More
Fertilizer production is not only an economic driver in Canada, but it is also a critical resource for customers around the world, especially in the United States. During the rail strike by CN Rail and CPKC in the summer of 2024, one of the majorly concerned stakeholders was U.S. farm groups based on the reliance… Read More
There will be a new biostimulant in the crop production toolbox for row crops in 2025. Syngenta Canada has launched YieldON, liquid foliar biostimulant to help improve productivity in corn, wheat, and other row crops. The company says the product is a unique selection of naturally derived ingredients to improve uptake and transportation of sugars… Read More
Those healthy looking soybeans may be hiding a hunger for nitrogen that could deliver higher yields. The oilseed’s nitrogen needs have been much studied over the years with researchers generally agreeing higher rates of nitrogen don’t pay, but that may not be the case when growers push for higher yields. On this episode of the… Read More