Farmers will be confronted with a lot of decisions this fall when it comes to harvest management. We all recognize the curveballs that mother nature threw this spring. The soil was dry in many areas. This, along with some management decisions around soil preparation and fertilizer applications, resulted in many producers planting into extremely dry […] Read more
Thom Weir
Stories by Thom Weir
Retain your alfalfa by sparing it a later, second cut in August
This year’s abnormally cool and dry spring has resulted in feed shortages across much of Western Canada. This will result in many producers trying to get a second cut of alfalfa off. To ensure that your alfalfa goes into winter in the best condition, it is recommended that you observe a hiatus from cutting during […] Read more
Increasing nitrogen rates produces diminishing returns
In this second part of our look at nitrogen, we will examine more sources, rates, timing and location of application. Liebig’s Law of the Minimum applies, like all of the other nutrients we have looked at. Most crops, with the exclusion of legumes, exhibit the classic response curve we have seen with other nutrients. Nitrogen […] Read more
Drought conditions can change spray
While it might have rained where you are, the impact of drought on the effectiveness of herbicides likely remains. This week we look at water, which is the primary carrier for herbicide applications. In fact, it usually makes up more than 99 percent of the spray solution. Considering that, it should be no surprise that […] Read more
Nitrogen most important of crop nutrients
This is the fourth column on macro-nutrients. This is part one of a two-part column on nitrogen. Nitrogen is by far the most important, the most complicated, the most controversial and possibly the least understood nutrient commonly used by farmers. Nitrogen is critical to making crops grow, mature and produce grain. A crop lacking nitrogen […] Read more
Take special care with herbicides in drought conditions
When moisture limits a crop, there may be fewer and less vigorous weeds, and weed emergence may be delayed until rainfall occurs. In those conditions, farmers may be tempted to delay spraying until they get some moisture. However, drought-tolerant weeds such as kochia, Russian thistle, and foxtail barley develop extensive root systems early and take […] Read more
Sulfur can hold the limit on a crop’s potential
This week, the “nutrient back to the basics” series will discuss the secondary nutrient — sulfur. For much of the world, sulfur has been considered of secondary interest compared to nitrogen, phosphate and potassium. However, as organic matter was depleted and canola, which is a very heavy user of sulfur, grew in popularity, sulfur deficiencies […] Read more
Choosing seeding date can be tricky; early has advantages
Crops can tolerate spring frost better than early fall frost. To offset the cold stress associated with early seeding, follow these best management practices: Seed as early as possible Weather changes at this time of year make it difficult to predict when growers will be on the land. Growers are starting to seed as I […] Read more
Potash should be applied to fields where it counts
The third instalment of my series on nutrient back-to-the-basics is about potassium. Also known as potash, it is second only to nitrogen in the amount of our applied nutrients used by plants. Crops contain about the same amount of nitrogen and potash. However, most of the potash is contained in the vegetative (leaves and stems) […] Read more
Phosphorus shortages not OK
I fear phosphate is the nutrient that is most deficient on farms across the Canadian Prairies and the northern U.S. Great Plains. It doesn’t act like nitrogen, which shows visual deficiency symptoms across the field when missed. Instead, phosphate deficiencies are more subtle and usually not noticed. In fact, I have seen what I would […] Read more
