Most farmers intuitively understand that manure applications are good for soil health and building soil nutrients, but many grain growers use fertilizer vs. manure for many reasons — availability and ease of use topping the list. Sask Pork is hoping to convince farmers that there is real value to cropping systems in adding hog manure… Read More
It’s time for farmers to be thinking about seeding winter wheat, but many questions still remain around the crop such as: when do I seed it? What sort of yields can I expect? How frost resistant is the variety? Always top of mind for this crop, too, is fertility — how much is enough and… Read More
What are those black spots on the corn stalks? And if I’ve got to choose between two types of fertilizer — how do I know which is worth it? This week’s Wheat Pete’s Word is full to the brim with questions and answers (just like host Peter Johnson likes!). You’ll hear about yield averages rolling… Read More
Farmers are watching the 14-day forecast like hawks in both Western Canada and Ontario, as cool conditions have slowed down crop development. Cereals in the west need time to mature, and the Ontario corn crop is weeks and weeks away from mature. Even with harvest underway, some are thinking about next year….because the winter wheat… Read More
Across Ontario, a growing percentage of soil tests are testing lower for nutrients. It’s a trend growers need to be aware of, and there’s a role for wheat to play in addressing the decline. Jack Legg, SGS Agri-Food Laboratories agronomist based at Guelph, says his lab and the International Plant Nutrition Institute, which conducts sampling… Read More
Starter fertilizer can give a corn crop some early-season punch, but if you’re not careful with application rates those new plants could get knocked out by fertilizer burn. Banding fertilizer in a 2-by-2 band beside the seed promotes early growth and vigour but too much nutrient too close to the seed can injure roots and… Read More
Is 2019 the year of the weird? Maybe, says host Peter ‘Wheat Pete’ Johnson in this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word. From planting conditions, to strange looking plants, and on to excessive and strange insect and creepy crawlies — this growing season is nothing short of odd. Johnson tackles what’s going on with things like… Read More
Peter ‘Wheat Pete’ Johnson is back for another edition of Wheat Pete’s Word, even if his voice is only running about 80%. It’s early July, and there’s so very much to cover in this week’s audio. From fusarium florets, to surprisingly weedy corn fields, and on to rolling corn cobs, and covering unseeded acres, host… Read More
While Ontario struggles to dry out, the lucky ones in Western Canada are rejoicing in some meaningful rainfall. It’s been a week of planting, watching weeds grow, and haying in some parts of Ontario, too. What does a little rain mean for Western Canada? Possibly more nitrogen. What do cool temperatures mean for corn in… 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
Parts of the Prairies have received decent rainfall recently, though some areas are still waiting on even a drop. For those who were blessed with a little moisture, if you’re wondering whether or not to top up nitrogen on the wheat crop, listen up. Peter Johnson, agronomist for RealAgriculture, says that for those that backed… 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
It’s decision time for many Ontario farmers. As wet, cool weather maintains its grip on the province, do you listen to the markets and plant corn, or is it too late? How many heat units should you drop if you’re sticking with the king? Is it better to plant soybeans? How do you get your… Read More
If you grow winter wheat in Ontario, chances are wet weather chased you out of the field this spring before you applied nitrogen. That’s what happened to RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson. In this episode of the Wheat School, our resident agronomist compares wheat that received early spring nitrogen to another part of the field where… Read More
It’d be fantastic if this Wheat Pete’s Word update included a milestone planting progress update, but 2019 is proving to be a slow one for much of Ontario. And while Western Canada is having much more luck getting the crop in, areas are still dry to very dry. Questions submitted for this week’s show involve… Read More