The corn is growing like a bad weed, while the earliest of the fall-seeded crops are starting to get harvested. Just in time, Ontario is getting some heat and humidity, and that means all sorts of questions for the host of Wheat Pete’s Word. In this week’s Word, Peter Johnson covers fusarium/DON development in the… Read More
It’s mid-July, and that means we’re talking wild weather, plant disease, and stressed crops. On today’s RealAg Radio, you’ll hear host Shaun Haney talking agronomy with: Ryan Barett, with the PEI potato board, on eastern crop conditions; Kelly Turkington, with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, on fusarium control timing on wheat; and, Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson… Read More
What’s a Thursday without a discussion about ticks? Well, probably just fine, but stand-in host of RealAg Radio, Lyndsey Smith, wants you to be tick smart and NOT end up with a red meat allergy. Listen to today’s radio show (also featuring the top ag news and Wheat Pete’s Word), for more: Have feedback? Story… 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
Ontario’s winter wheat crop has been fighting an uphill battle ever since last fall and the struggle will likely continue right through to harvest. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Wheat School, agronomist Peter Johnson explains that the highly variable crop will likely mean harvesting headaches. Last week at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown College… Read More
Ontario’s unplanted acres hold the potential for outstanding 2020 winter wheat yields, but growers will have to manage disease risks while planting early to turn that potential into profit, says RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson. Across the province, heavy clay soils, especially in the Niagara Region and Essex County, have not been planted. Johnson has had… Read More
It’s no secret that the Prairies have been for the most part very dry. When the wheat crops needed it the most, the rain wasn’t falling. There has been some moisture in the last couple of weeks, as many fields are headed into flowering. But what does that mean for your fungicide applications? RealAgriculture Agronomist… 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
It’s been a challenging growing season to date in Ontario, and the rough conditions in May and June are showing up in corn rows. Got funky-coloured corn? The cause all comes down to root growth. Peter Johnson, RealAgriculture agronomist, says that early-planted corn that went in fit to un-fit is yellowing, sometimes row to row…. 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
How the mighty have fallen. Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson, host of Wheat Pete’s Word, has laryngitis and can’t record the podcast this week. He’s very sorry, and is resting and trying to get well as soon as he can. In the meantime, he was a guest on Monday’s RealAg Radio program, where he tackled a… Read More
What do you get when you put an agronomy geek in charge of Agronomic Monday? A whole lot of fun! Well, maybe fun is a stretch, but today’s show, hosted by Lyndsey Smith, includes: Paul Hermans, of Corteva Agriscience, talking seed storage, risk management of hybrid availability, and digital agronony; Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson shares… 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