Entries by Deanna

Plant Re-Growth?

Is your field still looking green after the combine has rolled through? With the lack of moisture experienced this past year, some combines have fired up earlier then usual, as the lifecycle of plants may have been cut short. A combination of an earlier harvest with late season rains has also led to more plants, […]

Fertilizer Decisions Following a Year of Drought

When my son was younger, he was so obsessed with anything ‘Lion King’ it was annoying. While I’m busy trying to develop mathematical algorithms to solve the world’s greatest agricultural problems, my son, pretending to be Simba is dragging me off my desk to run around the house with him singing Hakuna Matata! He is […]

Desiccation

When considering your options for a pre-harvest application there are several tools available. These include swathing, systemic herbicides and contact herbicides. These can be a great harvest management tools to clean up dirty/ weedy fields, accelerating harvest and ensure seed for the following spring. Systemic Herbicides (Glyphosate) A pre-harvest Glyphosate application is typically used for […]

Don’t Let Grasshoppers Eat Your Yield Potential

Current and previous environmental conditions are in favour of a grasshopper outbreak. Outbreaks usually occur after two or three years of hot, dry, summers and open falls. Dry weather increases the chance of egg survival which leads to greater severity of adult feeding. Open falls allow for more time for the grasshoppers to feed and […]

Flea Beetles: A Common Enemy of Canola

If you are a grower of canola, you’ve most likely come across a flea beetle. Flea beetles are one of the most common pests of canola. In order to grow a successful crop, it is important to have a basic understanding of flea beetles and the management strategies needed to control these pests. Flea Beetle […]

Phosphates & Soil

Phosphates, how certain types of soils can make it UNAVAILABLE to your crop Phosphates can be your most expensive nutrient per pound most years and this year is no exception.  It is well documented and known that in a lot of cases in Saskatchewan, what you are spending your money on may not be available […]

Biologicals, Humics … What?

Biologicals, Humics … What? There are a lot of buzz words in modern agriculture: soil health, sustainability, regenerative agriculture, precision farming and the list goes on. With the rise in commodity prices this year,  farmers are trying to maximize the genetic potential of their crops. This has opened the door to many ‘magic bullet’ products […]

Does Your Seed Past The Test?

When growing a crop there are many factors that come into play during the growing season. Moisture, weed pressure, fertilizer source and fertilizer rates will greatly affect the overall yield and quality of the crop. We cannot do anything about “Mother Nature.”  So, we must make the best choices we can during the growing season […]

Ready – Set – Grow!

SEED TREATING Treating seed that gets put into the ground to grow a crop is nothing new.  Seed treatments have been utilized for many centuries. What is new in the game is applying nutrient seed dressings. Ensuring that the seed has the proper nutrients available early in its life cycle allows for maximum early season […]