Big iron, excellent distribution networks and long hours meant that roughly 80% of the southern Ontartio corn and soybean crop went in the ground between May 6th to 20th. As Ken Currah, with PRIDE Seeds notes in this RealAgriculture.com Crop Update Ontario, available horsepower and machinery means that when the ground is fit, it’s off… Read More
As if a late spring and cold weather weren’t bad enough, current planting conditions in some areas of Ontario are ripe for a millipede feeding frenzy. Millipedes prefer cool soil temps and will stay deep in the soil profile, munching away on organic matter, as long as surface soil temps are warm and increasing. But… Read More
Is it warm enough to plant? It’s a common question these days and one that has many a farmer out checking soil temps often. The tricky part about spring soil warm-up is that the optimal soil temp for germination isn’t necessary the optimum soil temp for sprouting and emergence of the corn crop. Add in… Read More
Rain or shine, drought or not, nitrogen is king when it comes to targeting the highest yields possible in corn. While it may not be a surprise that even in a dry year corn responds to added nitrogen, there’s still work to be done on the economic levels of that response with environmental stewardship in… Read More
As farmers approach the mid-way point of the Ontario corn harvest (and quickly surpass it, we hope), preliminary reports suggest decent yields in spite of challenging conditions. That said, it most certainly wasn’t an ideal growing season, and farmers aren’t likely to see their highest ever production this year. What a challenging year does allow… Read More
August rains make grain. That’s an old saying, but it held true this year in Ontario. The Ontario soybean crop managed to hold on through extreme hot and dry conditions to receive those timely rains and produce what was, overall, a great crop. In this episode of the Soybean School, Ken Currah of PRIDE Seeds… Read More
A little trouble now may help you deal with a lot of trouble down the line. That’s exactly what happened when corn in Ontario went through a dry spell in late May and early June. That dry period caused corn in those fields to develop deep and dense roots. Fast forward now to the six-week… Read More
One of the key components involved in cultivating a 300-plus bushel corn crop is establishing a good, uniform stand. Unfortunately for producers in drought affected regions of Ontario, those conditions have taken their toll in that area. Despite an early season that helped to foster good root development, stress from hot and dry conditions kept… Read More
The last six weeks have been extremely dry throughout parts of Ontario. Crops across the board have suffered as hopes for bumper yields have been deflated by the stress of prolonged hot and dry conditions. Corn in particular started with a great deal of promise, but now sits in a grey area as to how… Read More
The Ontario corn crop was really off to the races. There was optimal planting dates, early timely rains and the crop looked fantastic. And then KABOOM!!!!! The Ontario corn crop is now subject to some of the same stresses as its US counterpart. Dry hot weather has really impacted the Ontario corn crop moving the… Read More
This long and drawn out stretch of hot and dry weather in Ontario has sucked the potential out of a number of crops. High temperatures and no rain have put the brakes on some great looking early planted crops. For crops that manage to hang on through the stresses of a hot and dry July… Read More
There are a number of different elements that have to come together to unlock yield potential in corn and move it to that coveted 300 bushel mark. As we visit field number 2 of the PRIDE Seeds 300+ bushel initiative, we take a look at one of those factors and the issues that can come… Read More
The pursuit of 300+ bushel corn is still very much alive. Yield competitions from a host of different companies are challenging producers to raise the bar when it comes to corn production. The difference in PRIDE Seeds 300+ Bushel Initiative is found in their “whole field” approach. Whereas most of these yield challenges push production… Read More
Will it or won’t it? That’s the question on the mind of a great deal of Ontario farmers. Will that late planted corn finish? It’s a question that rests on a number of factors that tend to revolve around variety characteristics, geography, weather and of course, date planted. It’s also a question we thought could… Read More