As planting of corn and soybeans nears the finish line across Ontario, farmers and agronomists are turning their attention to weed control. A stretch of dry weather that fuelled a two-week sprint of planting, with little time for spraying, means many growers are now checking the status of pre-plant applications and trying to determine next… Read More

Parsnip is great in soups or part of a roasted vegetable medley, but if you see it growing in a ditch it’s best to steer clear. Those volunteer plants are likely wild parsnip and they’re poisonous to the touch, explains Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist Mike Cowbrough. The poisonous weed… Read More

Weeds cause grief in many ways — stealing yield, water and nutrients, or complicating harvest by staying green or staining the crop. But some weed species are much nastier than others (who hasn’t been stung by stinging nettle?), and a few problem species are spreading in places like Ontario, B.C and Manitoba. Far worse than… Read More