An uncommon scene the morning of May 21 was ponded water in fields of the Norfolk sand plain, where soils have saturated hydraulic conductivity in excess of 9 cm per hour. Some areas including north Oxford received more than 2.5” of rainfall May 20-21; many areas (Niagara, west Elgin) received just under 1”. Patience waiting for fit soil conditions (even among…
A collective summary of information gleaned from the weekly breakfast meeting minutes with local crop consultants in Ontario
OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 21, 2014 1570 Comments Off on Central Ontario Crop Consultants meeting notes May 20, 2014SYNOPSIS: Wet, wet, wet ! Most areas are struggling to get more than a couple of dry days for field work. Cool temperatures and frequent showers are forcing many to do field work 1-2 days before fields are fit. Corn planting is about 40%-50% complete across the region. Wheat damage claim calls have diminished, although some fields still being lost….
OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 21, 2014 1231 Comments Off on Ridgetown AgBreakfast Minutes, May 20, 2014Synopsis: FRUSTRATING! Very little progress over the past 2 weeks. 3″ plus rainfall. South-west estimate 10-15% corn planted, 2% soybeans. Early corn is 1-2 leaf. Many growers will not switch corn hybrids: they will switch to soys. Sulphur deficiency is obvious in some wheat fields. Manganese deficiency in the odd field: but less prevalent with current wet conditions. You CANNOT grow…
Synopsis: Considerable field work accomplished since Saturday in some areas: no movement in others. Unfortunately the rest of this week looks wet. Recent showers have been spotty: 0.1” at St Marys to 2” at Varna. The south west was also hit with a lot of rain. Corn planting estimates range from as little as 7% in the extreme southwest to…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 14, 2014 1598 Comments Off on Winchester Ag Breakfast Meeting Notes – May 13, 2014Conditions: Over 75% of the manure is out and 40-50% of the ground has been worked. Forages: Nitrogen fertilizer has largely been applied on grass hay fields. Alfalfa growth has picked up over the last week (6” to 8”). While alfalfa winter survival is generally good, winterkill (Figure 1) is becoming evident and some fields will need to be rotated…
Central Ontario Crop Consultants Next meeting: Tues May 20th, 7:30 am @ Felix Weber, Agri-Coach, Palmerston Synopsis: Cold, backwards weather has delayed decision making on a number of questionable winter wheat stands. The majority of Agricorp damage claims are now coming from mid-western Ontario. Estimated that 10-20% of wheat may be replanted. In southwestern Ontario, actually acres being replanted is…
Synopsis: The growing point is moving in advanced wheat, making weed control critical. N loss from early applications is not expected to be significant due to cool temperatures. Annual weeds have emerged and pressure is high in many fields. Early corn has barely sprouted, with little field activity to date. Corn under plastic is emerging. Early reports indicate deflectors on planters…
The contrast between what has been accomplished on light verses heavy-textured soils widens. On Haldimand clays, nothing has been done, other than about 25% of the nitrogen application on wheat, which left behind wheel-track ruts in the process. On the sands of Norfolk, nitrogen is on the wheat and rye, corn is being planted, and herbicides being applied. Alfalfa Older…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 2, 2014 1679 Comments Off on Winchester Ag Breakfast Meeting Notes – April 29, 2014Conditions: Fields have been slow to dry. Only a small amount of manure has been applied. About 25% of the nitrogen/fertilizer has been applied to winter wheat and grassy forage stands. Alfalfa: Winter survival is very good (Figure 1), generally in the 90% range, except for areas along the St Lawrence (Morrisburg/Brockville), which have up to 80% winterkill (Figure 2). Most fields…
Synopsis: Wheat looks TOUGH. Forages, particularly alfalfa, is TOUGHER. 10 to 40% of the wheat will be replanted. Spray replant wheat fields with glyphosate BEFORE replanting! Majority of the N is on, with N applications just getting underway to the north. Very little planting progress, some spring grain and a few acres of corn. Oat and IP soybean seed are in…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team April 26, 2014 1047 Comments Off on Central Ontario Crop Consultants Meeting- April 22, 2014Central Ontario Crop Consultants Refreshment Sponsor: Jim Coffey, Pioneer Next meeting: Tues May 6th, 7:30 am @ Felix Weber, Agri-Coach, Palmerston Synopsis: Wheat survival is generally good, but with poor survival on heavy clay, variable drainage and wheat planted after thanksgiving. Nitrogen application starting this week. Oats, barley acres will be higher; soybean & , white bean acres will likely be at there…
Synopsis: It is National Soil Conservation Week! Wheat survival is extremely spotty. Estimate 10-15% will be replanted. Nitrogen applications are gearing up. Corn and sweet corn planting have started: excellent uptake of Fluency Agent by growers. Sugar beet and pea plantings are underway. Soils are drying nicely. Western bean cutworm is not expected to have survived the winter. Cover crop…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team April 23, 2014 1036 Comments Off on Simcoe Ag Breakfast Meeting, April 23, 2014Cold soil temperature remains an issue. Agricorp have recieved numerous winter wheat damage reports; they have been inspecting west of Chatham, but are delaying inspection east of that. In the Barrie / GTA area, 10-15% of wheat-planted area is being put down. Planting into difficult conditions last fall e.g. smearing, may have contributed to poor survival in some fields. The…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team April 17, 2014 1488 Comments Off on Winchester Ag Breakfast Meeting Notes – April 15, 2014Conditions: More rainfall in region south and east of Ottawa over the April 12th weekend. Fields are generally saturated. Upper Ottawa Valley has drier conditions. Moisture from snow melt got away with very little ponding in most areas. Alfalfa: Winter survival looks good to date. Alfalfa has 2 to 3 inches of new growth at this point with no/minimal heaving…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team April 16, 2014 1085 Comments Off on Simcoe Ag Breakfast Minutes, April 9, 2014Issues this year will be managing temperature in furrow, and wet soils. A comparison of soil temperatures at 2 and 4” deep in Lampton county over the past 5 years (courtesy of Geoff Smith of Agricorp) shows snowmelt followed by cold temperatures caused a notable drop in mid-March. Given that soils are saturated, will further slow their warming. While some…