Here’s a fun question: what nitrogen recommendations do you follow? Do you vary it by crop type or by field, ie. do you have a “canola blend”? Do you use tried-and-true removal rates compared against a current soil sample analysis? Or do you work backwards from a target yield? No matter which way you currently… Read More
Category: Fertility
A better understanding of soil properties like electrical conductivity, organic matter and pH levels can go a long way in precision agriculture applications. As Veris Technologies president Eric Lund explains in the following video, mapping these properties is useful in variable rate fertilizer application, as well as for site-specific management when seeding, applying lime or irrigating. “There are… Read More
Do you know the most likely way your farmland loses nitrogen? (Now would be a great time to review all the ways N evades being used by the plant. Check out the image in this post). Why does this matter? For one, putting down fertilizer that’s simply lost to the water or air is just… Read More
We all have them or have seen them — the areas where crop productivity falls near null, and foxtail barley encroachment begins. Areas affected by high salinity are often referred to as alkali sloughs, and are considered for remediation. Years of no- or minimum-till farming across the prairies has certainly helped the situation, says Kelly Farden,… Read More
A soil test can give a good indication of nutrient inputs necessary for a healthy crop, (provided the sample is representative — more on this later). But besides something to consider in the spring, a soil sample may also be a tool for in-season plant health diagnostics. In these circumstances, the role of a test is perhaps most appreciated… Read More
There’s a difference between new technology that becomes a useful tool and new technology that’s just a toy. The difference is largely in the practical application of what any given technology makes possible. Exhibit A: the smartphone — great and powerful technology, but likely also overwhelmingly used to share silly cat videos and status updates…. Read More
Perhaps we should go ahead and just call 2014 the year of variability. Manitoba farmers struggled with a late, wet spring, as did many parts of Saskatchewan. Alberta has largely fared far better, with the pendulum swinging the other way and into too-dry for the Peace region. Crops can grow their way out of the… Read More
What’s your nitrogen management system for maximum corn yields? Do you plan on two applications? More? How do you decide how much and when? There are several great reasons to split applications of nitrogen — it’s good risk management both to your pocketbook and the environment and a great way to capitalize on a crop… Read More
Ensuring adequate nodulation starts with choosing the correct inoculant, keeping it alive prior to seeding and getting good coverage or placement. But what happens if, for any number of reasons, your pulse crop ends up with less than great nodules? What if you’ve got nodules that never pink up or seem to die off? In… Read More
Producers are starting to see fields of green, as we roll into the middle of June. This means it’s time for those boots to hit the field (again/still), as scouting for disease and insect pressure, nutrient deficiencies and undesirable plants is crucial to understanding the health of plant populations and maximizing yields through subsequent management decisions. In… Read More
Deciding on rates of nitrogen application for any crop can be a daunting task, but with winter wheat’s unique growing season, the choice is even further challenged by timing. Applying nitrogen in the fall can reduce the need to get in early in the spring, but could be a bit of a gamble dependent on… Read More
Just as in money management, investments you make in your farm’s soil nutrient bank account may be short or long term. Depending on the nutrient, crop yields, the weather and soil type, nutrient levels and availability may need immediate deposits or a long-term plan to ensure there’s enough “money” there when the crop needs it…. Read More
Managing for nitrogen losses in crop production is important, absolutely, but N isn’t the only nutrient at risk of being lost from the plant’s refrigerator. Phosphorus, that other macro-nutrient we know and love, is also subject to losses — and while losses may go relatively unnoticed in the cropping system, our lakes are rivers pay… Read More
Phosphorus management is and must be a long term proposition. Phosphorus behaves very differently than nitrogen in the soil, as it binds tightly to soil particles and releases slowly over time. This is good and bad — it’s not subject to the same loss risk that N is, but it also means that sometimes the… Read More
In this episode of the Corn School, Bernard Tobin and OMAF Corn Lead Greg Stewart turn to a chalkboard to draw up some nitrogen strategies for the 2014 corn crop. Throughout the winter meeting season, Stewart touted a split application approach to nitrogen. He recommends growers put down 100 lb of nitrogen pre-plant and then… Read More