Soybean growers looking for cover crops that can deliver soil health benefits and weed suppression without a yield hit may want to consider planting into cereal rye. Based on Ontario testing conducted in 2017 and 2018, planting soybeans into standing rye doesn’t hurt your soybean yields, says Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs… 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
With poor spring planting conditions across Ontario, many farmers have run out of time to get major crops in the ground and thousands of acres will remain unplanted in 2019. What should farmers do with those acres? We asked Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed management specialist Mike Cowbrough and RealAgriculture agronomist… Read More
Retiring alfalfa fields used to be a simple process. Conventional tillage farmers would just drop the mouldboard plow in the fall, while those under a minimum tillage system would rely on a glyphosate burndown before planting a new crop the following spring. With the introduction of glyphosate tolerant (GT) alfalfa, however, glyphosate is no longer… Read More
The latest Statistics Canada field crop survey confirms what most in the farming community have been talking about non-stop for the last month: dry conditions in the west and wet conditions in the east have significantly impacted what crop mix is in the ground. According to the June Field Crop Survey, canola, durum, and winter… Read More
The threat of soybean cyst nematode lurks in soil carried by any equipment, tire, or boot that crosses from the U.S. into Manitoba. Ontario, too, struggles with the pest, and it seems it’s less of a matter of if and instead when the nematode ends up in Western Canada. As Dennis Lange, industry development specialist… Read More
When it comes to grasshoppers on the Prairies, the primary thought that comes to mind might be protecting cereals crops. But this hopping, destructive insect can cause issues in your soybean crop as well — and now is the time to begin looking for them. In this episode of RealAgriculture’s Soybean School, John Gavloski, entomologist… Read More
It’s been an unusual year across Ontario and growers could see more of the same as the soybean crop emerges from cool, wet soils, says Albert Tenuta, plant pathologist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs. Tenuta believes the backward spring, which has pushed soybean planting to late June across the province,… 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
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
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
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
By Sean Mitchell and Dr. Alfons Weersink As wet planting conditions persist across Ontario, many growers have switching on their mind: should they switch to shorter-season corn hybrids or even leave corn in the bag and plant soybeans? From an economic perspective, the best choice is likely to switch to shorter-season corn with lower heat… 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