A collective summary of information gleaned from the weekly breakfast meeting minutes with local crop consultants in Ontario
Conditions: 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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
Conditions: 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% […]
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 […]
Central 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 […]
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 […]
Cold 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 […]
Conditions: 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 […]
Issues 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 […]
April 15, 2014 Malibu Restaurant, Exeter Chair for this meeting was Jim Morlock Chair for next meeting is Blair Chowen Synopsis: An estimated 60% of the winter wheat crop will be under seeded with red clover. Less than 10% complete to the north, up to 50% complete in this area. Virtually no nitrogen on wheat: […]
Note: New Location for Ridgetown AgBreakfast Meeting is the Campus Centre in the basement of Willson Hall, 7:15 am (U of Guelph Ridgetown Campus). A big thank-you to our Breakfast sponsor this week “St. Clair Region Soil and Crop Improvement Association” and Chad Anderson for their support. There are plenty of opportunities for others to […]
This meeting was hosted by the Huron Research Station. Thanks for breakfast and an excellent tour. We appreciate the work conducted for Ontario Agriculture at the Huron Research Station. Synopsis: Rainfall has been excessive in many areas but things are actually starting to get dry in some regions. This has been a year with many issues mostly due to […]
Rainfall accumulation across the region for the past week was approx. 40 mm (1.5 inches), nearly double the weekly normal. Since May 1st, the area accumulated about 130 mm of rain, which is slightly above the average and roughly 600 Crop Heat Units, which is on par with the 30 year average. Forages: First […]