The Blog

There are reports of producers seeding Polish (Brassica rapa) canola varieties in Manitoba and Alberta. Keep in mind that herbicide options are limited and full spectrum weed control can be fairly costly with these varieties. Select fields carefully (e.g. not too weedy or not with a broad spectrum of hard-to-control weeds). Recognize too that yield potential of late-seeded Polish canola …

Before making re-seed decisions consider the following: Take a close look. Get down, way down, at ground level and look for signs of recovery. A plant with a green, intact growing point can still continue to grow. A magnifying glass will help zero-in on the tiny plant parts. Scratch around and scrape back crop residue or the top layers of …

Crop recovery from the frost 10 days ago was reasonably good across western Canada, especially with the warm temperatures late last week and over the weekend. Some re-seeding was reported in Saskatchewan and Alberta but locations and acres were variable. Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation reports 500 re-seed claims were processed on canola due to frost. Where fields were not re-seeded, …

No doubt that this spring has been especially challenging for canola establishment. Cool and dry conditions in many areas resulted in less than ideal emergence. Late-frosts have now thinned stands in many areas where emergence was adequate. Canola fields with low plant densities are more vulnerable to losses from insects, weed competition and environmental stresses such as fall frosts. Crops …

There are questions about the ability to tank mix insecticides with herbicides when spraying canola.  Please read the updated article.

Uneven, thin canola stands are common across the prairies this year. Generally canola is emerging to 4-leaf and many producers are wondering when is the best time to spray? And how many times will the fields need to be sprayed? These questions are difficult to answer and each field should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Keep in mind a …

Water quality is the key to achieving proper performance of many herbicides, particularly with glyphosate and many grassy weed products. The following link provides more information on spray water quality: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex7573 Custom applicators (and growers in general) should double check to ensure the right product is being applied to the right field. Ensure legal land descriptions and field directions are …

Spray drift can be costly (liability-wise) but also gives agriculture a negative image. Pay attention to boom height, nozzle selection, water volume, pressure, wind speed and direction, etc. Calibrate your sprayer before spray season begins. Be a good neighbor and make certain the product applied hits the target and the target only. The following link has more information on managing …

Frost was widespread all across western Canada last week. From all reports, crop damage is quite variable – both within an area and within a single field. This is expected because many variables will affect a crop’s ability to withstand frost (duration of the frost, crop staging, crop residue, low lying areas, crop vigor, etc.) so the only way to …

To evaluate a field, walk an X or W path across the field and note all plants that will survive in a 1/4 m2 (3 ft2) area every 20 paces. This should be 50 to 100 samples. Record an observation from each sample. Calculate the percentage of the field that has adequate plant recovery. The frost may thin the stand …