Author: Jake Munroe

Jake Munroe

Soil Management Specialist - Field Crops

Ontario Field Crop Report, June 21, 2018: Sulphur response in Ontario’s field crops

sulphur; deficiency; wheat; sandy loam
Jake MunroeJake Munroe June 22, 2018 3006 Comments Off on Ontario Field Crop Report, June 21, 2018: Sulphur response in Ontario’s field crops
Crop Reports

Sulphur (S) had been a neglected nutrient in Ontario for many years. For decades, in much of Ontario, sulphur came in significant quantities from the sky – deposited from emissions from industrial activity. Even before that, impurities in fertilizers and more widespread application of manure helped ensure a regular addition of sulphur to our soils. In recent years things have…

Soil pH and liming decisions

Jake MunroeJake Munroe October 30, 2017 5319 Comments Off on Soil pH and liming decisions
Soil Fertility

Correcting soil pH problems is one of the first steps in good soil management. If you have soil sampled recently and found that pH is low, you should act on it. Soil pH affects the availability of a wide range of nutrients in soil; if it is too low or too high, nutrients are less available to crops. If pH…

Soil fertility benefits of wheat in rotation

Jake MunroeJake Munroe September 5, 2017 6575 Comments Off on Soil fertility benefits of wheat in rotation
Soil Fertility

Before long, the 2018 winter wheat crop will be seeded across the province (Figure 1). Long-term research at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus shows that winter wheat in rotation provides an additional 10 bushels per acre to corn and 5 bushels to soybeans. At current crop prices, that means an extra 107 dollars per acre over a rotation. What…

What is the Impact of Erosion on Soil Fertility?

Jake MunroeJake Munroe April 21, 2017 7903 Comments Off on What is the Impact of Erosion on Soil Fertility?
Soil Fertility

It is National Soil Conservation Week this week, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to look at the impact of erosion on soils in Ontario over the past few months. Throughout the middle of April we’ve had some intense rain events. We had a mild winter this year in southwestern Ontario, with little snow cover, and had…

Cover Crops as a Soil Fertility Tool

Jake MunroeJake Munroe March 3, 2017 7373 Comments Off on Cover Crops as a Soil Fertility Tool
Cover Crops

Cover crops are well proven to help reduce soil erosion and improve soil structure. They can also have nutrient benefits. Whether you have been growing cover crops for decades or are just getting started, it is helpful to know what specific cover crops can (and cannot) do from a soil fertility standpoint. There are three main ways that cover crops…

Interpreting Your Soil Test Results

Jake MunroeJake Munroe December 12, 2016 8090 Comments Off on Interpreting Your Soil Test Results
Soil Fertility

Regular soil testing is a critical component of good crop production. It allows you to monitor soil fertility levels, identify potential for nutrient deficiencies, and make fertilizer decisions based on the best possible information. Perhaps you had samples taken this fall and sent off, and have received the soil test report back (see Figure 1 for an example). Whether you…

Nitrogen Fertilizer: Does It Help Build Soil Organic Matter?

Jake MunroeJake Munroe October 18, 2016 6543 1 Comment
Soil Fertility

Co-written by Dr. Laura Van Eerd, Associate Professor, Nitrogen Fertility and Cover Crops, University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus Soil organic matter (OM) is the single most important soil health property that you have influence over through your management. Soil OM is all living, dead or long dead (and decomposed) material. Higher soil organic matter translates into better water holding capacity,…

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