Crop Report – June 1, 2022

Early vegetative stages are a great time to scout fields for gaps or delayed plants and troubleshoot for issues that may have led to these.

Conditions Some sporadic rains have occurred across the province this last week. In areas where planting is mostly complete, these rains have generally been well received. Temperature swings between stretches of very warm and cooler weather has continued this spring, though crop heat unit (CHU) accumulation is similar to slightly ahead of normal. Cereals Emergence […]

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May 2022 Forage Report

Weather A derecho hit Ontario and Quebec along the Windsor-Québec City corridor on May 21st. High winds caused widespread power outages in central and eastern Ontario. Damage included downed/uprooted trees, snapped hydro poles, and several collapsed barns. Resources are available to help producers cope with stress and find mental health support. South and West According to […]

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Crop Report – May 25th, 2022

Figure 2. Alfalfa weevil feeding on leaf-tips reduce forage yield and quality.

Conditions A large storm system with high winds, and variable amounts of rain on Saturday swept across Windsor to Quebec City, and left widespread power outages, downed trees, and property damage. The storm was classified by Environment Canada as a Derecho, (Figure 1.) which is defined as a line of intense, widespread and fast-moving windstorms and […]

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On-off grazing

cow grazing

On-off grazing is a management technique to minimize damage while grazing wet pastures. It is an alternative to using a sacrifice paddock. Livestock do the least amount of pugging damage to a field when they are actively grazing. It is other activities, such as visiting the water trough or mineral source, lying down, or socializing […]

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Forages/Pastures and Excess Water

standing water drowned plants in a low spot in this pasture

Key Points: Forage and pasture plants are more tolerant of saturated soil conditions in early spring when they are growing slowly. Excess water increases the risk of root and crown diseases. Dig up plants to check for disease after the water has subsided. Flood water may leave behind silt that can smother a crop, raise […]

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Northern Ag Breakfast Meeting- May 18, 2022

flea beetle feeding damaged canola stem

Wednesday May 18th was the second virtual Northern Breakfast Meeting of the season. Thanks to Chloe Langlois, OMAFRA Agriculture Development Advisor – Timiskaming, for chairing the meeting. There will be 2 more meetings, according to the schedule below. After short updates from the OMAFRA specialist listed, the group will discuss any current cropping questions and give […]

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Crop Report – May 18th, 2022

Figure 2. Corn coleoptile ready to emerge from a sandy loam in Eastern Ontario on May 13th.

Conditions Large swaths of the province saw rain early this week, which put a pause on a very productive planting window over the previous week and a bit. The forecast predicts slower progress due to more regular precipitation, which will provide some stress relief on fields that were starting to turn alarmingly dry. Northwestern Ontario […]

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