Sask. seeding near done
Saskatchewan farmers have virtually finished seeding all the crops they intend to plant, even in the flooded southeast. That doesn’t mean all the land has been seeded, but by this point of the season, some farmers have decided to leave their land in fallow.
“They’re quitting,” said Terry Karwandy of Saskatchewan Agriculture.
But the provincial total of seeded acres will not necessarily be substantially down. While many farmers in the southeast are planting fewer acres this year, farmers in the southwest and along the Alberta border may be planting more because of good soil moisture.
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Crop development is generally uniform across most of the province. In some parts of the northern grain belt crops are more advanced than in the south, which is the opposite of most years.
About 20 percent of the wheat crop is at the jointed stage, while the rest is tillering its way close behind. Flax has emerged and is at the seedling stage, but is behind its normal stage of development.
About 25 percent of the canola crop is at the rosette stage, and two percent has already begun to flower. That’s about average development for this time of year.
Pulse crops are leafing out and winter cereals have mostly headed.
Crops in the southwest are more lush than they’ve been for years, and are in good condition down the west side. But some farmers in the northwest need rain. Their crops got a good start with the spring moisture, but need more to keep advancing. Last week’s heat and the strong, drying winds desiccated many fields.
“The hot winds are doing a real number on them,” said Karwandy.
Producers are expecting a long spraying season. They are finishing spraying the early crops, then finding they have to immediately spray the later-seeded because of their quick development due to moisture and heat.
In wet areas a number of diseases are appearing. Tan spot is causing problems for wheat in many areas. Root rot is spreading and lentil growers are reporting diseases in their crops.
Ground squirrels are becoming a problem in some areas. Scores of the toothy beasts are feasting on young crops in the southwest.
Pastures are in good condition.
The first cut of hay is beginning to come off. Producers are hoping the hay dries enough that they can get it baled. The hay quality and quantity looks excellent.
Manitoba dries out
Winnipeg bureau
Finally, dry weather prevailed.
Seeding continued in western Manitoba. Some farmers switched fields to shorter-season Polish canola, buckwheat and green feed.
About 5,000 acres in the southeastern corner of the province near the United States border also remain to be seeded.
A significant amount of land will not be planted around Melita, Souris, Virden, Minnedosa, Brandon and Neepawa.
Melita and Virden were two of the only places to get rain last week, getting five to 10 millimetres on already soaked fields.
Light frost caused minimal damage in some parts of central Manitoba. But in eastern areas and the Interlake, some fields had to be reseeded, particularly sensitive crops like corn, beans and buckwheat.
Crop development is all over the map.
Cereals range from just planted to advanced tillering stages. Some cereals in central Manitoba are jointing.
Some early-seeded cereals in eastern Manitoba will head this week.
Some canola is flowering in central and eastern regions.
In the southwest, canola planted on light soils is showing signs of nutrient deficiency.
Flax is tillering and 15 to 20 centimetres tall in eastern Manitoba.
Beans, corn and sunflowers could use more heat to improve growth.
Farmers are spraying for flea beetles and grasshoppers around the province.
Hay crops have average to above-average yields.
Alfalfa seed growers in the Interlake are spraying for plant and lygus bugs.
Drought threatens Alta.
Camrose bureau
Yield potential is decreasing in some areas of Alberta as farmers wait for rain. Drought stress is evident in the northeast region and hay yields are expected to be 50 percent less in much of the region. Other concerns include lygus bugs and some reports of frost damage.
Spraying is 65 to 95 percent complete.
Many farmers in central Alberta would also welcome a good rain as pastures are hardening off, especially in the Coronation area. Most farmers in the Lacombe area are taking their first cut of hay and expect yields to be average or above.
There is some spraying for grasshoppers near Oyen and grasshopper nymphs are appearing in the Hanna area. So far no major diseases or insect problems are reported.
Crops are developing more slowly than usual in southern Alberta because of cool growing conditions. Potatoes, corn, sugarbeets and beans are furthest behind.
In irrigated areas, farmers have started haying and expect below-average yields. Spraying progress is variable, with farmers in the Cardston area finished, while some farmers in the Foremost area are only half done.
Agriculture officials recommend farmers in this region monitor canola for the cabbage seed pod weevil. Other concerns include nitrogen deficiency in areas that received heavy spring rainfalls.
In the northwest, recent rains are helping crops get needed moisture. Morinville farmers got up to 75 millimetres of rain but also reported hail damage. In other areas, pasture and hay fields need more moisture.
Haying has begun and there are some reports of lygus bugs and grasshoppers.
Rain in the Peace region varied from several millimetres to 25. Pasture and hay crops are progressing slowly in most areas and need more rain.
Farmers in most districts are spraying for lygus bugs and the Fort Vermilion and Spirit River areas also have grasshoppers.
