For farmers unable to seed this spring after being flooded out, there’s no need to wait until next year.They can still make use of that soggy land this season by seeding winter wheat into chem fallow.“Wet springs that make seeding difficult are ideal for winter wheat,” said Paul Thoroughgood, regional agrologist with Ducks Unlimited.“Due to its early growth habit and high yield potential, winter wheat is able to make good use of spring and early summer moisture.”Growing a crop this fall will help draw excess moisture out of the land and eliminate the potential challenge of seeding into wet fields in 2011, he said.An estimated 20 percent of prairie farmland will go unseeded in 2010 due to excessive moisture.Wheat plantings in Western Canada are expected to be around 19.2 million acres, down 18 percent from 22.6 million last year and the lowest total since 1971.Thoroughgood said chem fallow may not be the ideal stubble for seeding winter wheat, but the standing material is essential for trapping snow and protecting the winter wheat plant from cold temperatures throughout the winter.Thoroughgood identified a number of recommended practices for planting winter wheat:
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