Many Ontario soils display a similar pattern of compaction. The secondary tillage layer – usually the top 2-4 inches – is relatively loose and friable, with mostly small, rounded aggregates, especially earlier in the season before rains reconsolidate the soil. Below this layer is usually one that is significantly denser and more poorly structured. In the second […] Read more
Evaluating soil structure
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of August 15
Corn quality ‘highly variable,’ silage seen as option for some growers
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of August 8
Much of the province received rain this past week, with significant rainfall (over 76 mm or 3 inches) in Huron Shores and Georgian Bay and eastern Ontario. A 25 to 50 mm (1-2 inch) rain mid-summer can still help finalize average yields, but it is too early to make final yield predictions. Crops that will […] Read more
Improved nitrogen testing may be around the corner
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of August 1
Ontario’s corn crop is past the halfway point at this time and is left to Mother Nature’s will to help mature the corn and give us a decent harvest. For the most part, that means we can look back at what 2022 brought us and how we can adjust and improve our field and nutrient […] Read more
Post-wheat harvest weed management strategies
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of July 25
Weather conditions The percentage of average precipitation during the current growing season is quite variable across the province (see image at top). Crop conditions generally mirror precipitation levels with below average precipitation received in mid-western and southern Ontario causing significant crop stress, especially on lighter textured soils. Conversely, parts of eastern Ontario are above average […] Read more
Managing to get the most from available water
Tips for keeping it in the ground to make it accessible to crop roots
Water is the most important limiting input for crop production. In more than a couple of the past years, producers across the province have been forced to watch while their crops suffer from dry conditions in the heat of summer. Other than irrigation (which is rare for field crops in Ontario), there’s really nothing we […] Read more
Canola conditions in Ontario
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of July 11
Spring canola across the province is currently at or beyond full bloom. Observations from around the province at this stage are that spring canola is looking better overall than it has in recent years, particularly in Timiskaming District where the majority of the crop is grown. Little to no swede midge damage was observed in […] Read more
Enhancing corn and soybean yields in Ontario
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of July 4
Gone are the days of grandpa getting the tractor and 3 furrow plow out to work the whole farm each fall after harvest. For decades now, producers have been developing and adapting new technologies and practices to optimize land use, while continuing to care for it. Thirty-one years of data evaluated by the University of […] Read more
Ontario crop conditions mostly favourable
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of June 27
As we close out the 2022 spring planting window, for the most part we see crops in good shape, but as always, there are regional differences. Alfalfa in western and southwestern Ontario suffered a great deal of die out this winter. Farmers had to make quick plans to address this issue. Alternatively, alfalfa and winter […] Read more
Insect issues appear for Ontario growers
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of June 20
Cereal leaf beetle (CLB) populations have reached threshold in some spring cereal fields this week. CLB larvae and adults feed on the tissue between leaf veins, leaving long scratch marks that can make plants appear silver or frosted from a distance. Before boot stage, the threshold is an average of three larvae per tiller. One CLB […] Read more
Soybean update for Ontario
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of June 13
Soybeans range from VE (emergence) to the fourth trifoliate leaf stage. The majority of the crop was planted in May, although sporadic showers meant that some could not be planted until June. A few soybeans were planted in April. They are now at the fifth trifoliate leaf stage. Ideally, soybeans should have 6 trifoliates by […] Read more
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