Growers testing their own wheat and barley seed for farm-saved use have seen some very low germination results — especially if those crops were harvested from regions with delayed harvest due to excess moisture. Some of those growers are wondering about the quality of canola seed. Be assured that No.1 certified canola seed must have a minimum 90% germination at …

  Hybrid seed often weighs 5 grams or more per 1,000 seeds. If a grower seeds a 5-gram hybrid at 4 lb./ac. (1,800 grams per acre), that works out to 8 seeds per square foot. At 60% seedling survival, the stand is only 5 plants per square foot. The ideal target is 10 plants per square foot, which provides some …

We know that wider rows make it possible to pull wider drills with the same tractor. Wider rows also make it easier to direct seed into heavy trash. But remember that with every system, there is give and take. Wide row spacing and relatively low seeding rates mean that more of the ground is exposed to full sunlight for longer. …

Going to wider rows? Many new drills are set at 12” and 14” row spacing. Wider row spacing means higher concentrations of seed and fertilizer through each opener — based on the same per-acre rates. This can increase fertilizer damage to seedlings and lead to a thinner stand, particularly for openers that place fertilizer and seed together. Nitrogen is usually …

Do you have a new drill you’ll be using for the first time this spring? Take some time now and over the next couple months before seeding to read over the manual, and find out how to program the monitor and calibrate seeding and fertilizer rates. When you get a nice day and have a flat dry place to work, …

Growers who plan to rotate between canola systems for improved weed control or to try a different variety as part of a blackleg management plan may want to book seed soon. That way they can be sure to get a variety that fits the plan. Although growing conditions in 2011 will strongly influence which weeds will dominate, growers usually know …

Some growers in wet areas are considering fall seeding canola in case spring 2011 is too wet to get the crop in. If the winter and spring are dry and it looks like they can get into the fields, the plan, for some, is to spray out the fall-seeded canola with Roundup and go about seeding as normal. Fall seeded …

There are two key points when treating volunteer canola as a crop: 1) Check with the seed company on the legalities of harvesting a volunteer crop. 2) Set expectations accordingly. This crop has no seed treatment, no fertilizer (unless you top up) and if from hybrid seed, only 80-90% of plants will have the herbicide tolerance gene. This will not …