Some producers worry soil could quickly dry out without timely rains but so far, conditions are ideal
Amid nearly ideal Alberta seeding conditions this spring is the niggling worry about dry soil conditions.
Farmers in south, east-central and north Peace River regions report dry surface conditions but enough lower moisture for seed germination.
“In the last four or five years we’ve had fairly soggy springs and this one is not, so people are starting to get a little concerned,” said Alberta Agriculture crops specialist Harry Brook.
“There’s no real urgent emergency yet. There’s good soil moisture in a lot of areas below one and two inches, so there’s enough to get germination.”
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Below average snowfall across much of the province has resulted in fewer sloughs and potholes to impede field work, but farmers planning shallow-seeded crops may want to wait for rain, added Brook.
“It’s drier than we’re used to, but this is not something we haven’t seen before. I do recall those phrases, ‘plant in the dust and your bins will bust.’ ”
However, he noted that didn’t hold true in 2002, for example, when there was no appreciable rain until August in much of the province.
Brook said pastures and hayland are not doing well across much of the province because of low moisture and generally cooler weather. Rain will be needed before the end of the month to keep them healthy.
“Especially when you’re talking about grasses and perennial crops, they really need that early season moisture to get them set up to be productive for the summer,” he said.
“It’s early yet. I don’t think it has impaired their opportunity for the rest of the summer, but if it carries on like this until the end of May, it’s going to definitely affect the amount of hay we have available.”
Irrigation systems in southern Alberta have been charged, and some farmers are irrigating earlier than they normally would. Seeding is almost complete in the region, compared to 50 percent province wide.
Kevin Auch, who farms near Carmangay, Alta., said last week that knolls are dry but lower spots have reasonable soil moisture
Greg Bowie, who ranches near Ponoka, said his region is dry and the benefits of snow that fell in mid-April were lost to wind.
“We need a substantial rain,” he said, noting pastures were dry heading into winter and remain so because of lower than average snow.
Heather Kerschbaumer of Fairview said there was reasonably good moisture there, but conditions are dry to the north at High Level and La Crete.
