Reading Time: < 1 minute If you’re still seeding be careful not to apply too much fertilizer, says provincial crop specialist Mark Cutts. Seed-placed urea can reduce crop emergence through ammonia toxicity. Factors that impact the amount of urea that can be seed placed include seedbed utilization (calculated as the spread of seed and fertilizer divided by the row spacing), […] Read more
Don’t apply too much fertilizer
It’s not business as usual when it comes to fertilizing this year
Unharvested crops mean there’s more nutrients in the soil and if you have to broadcast, there’s a chance to top up the nutrient bank
Reading Time: 3 minutes Nutrient management is a challenge even in average years — but a million unharvested acres mean this year will be far from average. Step one is determining available nutrients. In a cereal crop, the vast majority of the nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur and about one-fifth of the potassium taken in by the plant are contained […] Read more
The next big thing? Pioneers of CTF have high hopes
Controlled traffic farming may be the biggest advance since no till, but even its fans don’t expect it to be an overnight success
Reading Time: 5 minutes Controlled traffic farming has many benefits, but it still hasn’t caught on big in Alberta. There are only a handful of farmers in the province who have adopted the practice and a recent conference drew just over 50 people — even though CTF, as it’s commonly called, is hailed by some as the biggest advance […] Read more
Controlled traffic farming can have a positive impact on soils
The practice of always running equipment on the same ‘tramlines’ is rare in Alberta, but study says it pays major dividends
Reading Time: 2 minutes Controlled traffic farming does improve soil, says a University of Alberta soil researcher who did his master’s thesis on the practice. “In our area of the North American Great Plains, we have areas that are experiencing soil degradation and it is being propagated further as production systems are intensifying,” said Kris Guenette at the recent […] Read more
How to build a soil-health bank account
This organic production technique offers a big-picture view of nutrient management — and a ‘tough love’ approach to soil fertility
Reading Time: 3 minutes Soil is a little like a bank account for nutrients — in order to manage them properly, you need to balance the budget. “No matter how big the bank account is, if you only take stuff out, eventually it runs out,” said University of Manitoba research technician Joanne Thiessen Martens. “We need to look at […] Read more
Manitoba storm may cause more than travel delays
CNS Canada –– Road closures across most of western Manitoba due to a late-winter storm are likely only the start of the headaches to come, as flooding and/or late seeding may be a reality in many areas this spring. Meteorologist Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc. in Kansas City said he was optimistic on moisture […] Read more
COVER CROPS: The potential is huge, but so is the learning curve
Those looking for a one-size-fits-all solution will be disappointed
Reading Time: 4 minutes Looking over at the emptied room that had been packed with attentive farmers a few minutes earlier, cover crops guru Kevin Elmy could only shake his head. “If I had given a talk here five years ago, maybe the front row might have been filled — maybe,” the Saskatchewan farmer said after his FarmTech presentation, […] Read more
New version of soil viewer launched
Reading Time: < 1 minute An updated version of the Soil Information Viewer is now available. “The viewer accesses soil information stored in database tables called the Agricultural Regions of Alberta Soil Inventory Database,” said David Spiess, a provincial geographical information systems engineer. “The information in the database looks at the ability of Alberta soils to grow grains crops, allows […] Read more
Eight things to look for in your soil test report
When you understand your soil reports, you’re in a better position to develop fertilizer plans with your agronomist. All soil testing labs report the same basic information, but each lab has its own unique format. No matter what your report looks like, first, check the information at the top: your name, address, field name, etc.[...]
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When it comes to healthy soil, you want to lump it
Soil aggregation is critical — in several different ways — to growing healthy crops
Reading Time: 4 minutes Think water is your biggest limiting factor when growing a crop? Think again. “Soil aggregation is the most important constraint that we have,” said Yamily Zavala, crop and soil health management specialist at Chinook Applied Research Association. “In order for a soil to function properly, we have to have all the soil processes — physical,[...]
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