With COVID-19 in mind, we decided to forego hosting our Annual Crop Tour in Bruno this summer. Instead, we created this blog post with a brief overview of some of the products that are being trialed across our locations. With fungicides and canola varieties, there's lot of new products being released so we're excited to see the yield results at harvest! There are also other trials being conducted that are not included in this blog post that we hope to discuss at an in-person grower meeting this winter. If government regulations do not permit large indoor groups gatherings, we will get creative and either host multiple, smaller meetings and/or share the results virtually. When the time comes closer, we'll be sure to keep you in the loop with our plans!

Listed below are some of the canola variety trials that are being conducted in our area. Since there's quite a few varieties being tested, we won't go into detail on each individual one in this blog. If you have questions on any specific varieties feel free to contact any of our agronomists or sales staff!

Located near Lake Lenore is a RR TruFlex Victory Canola Trial. It contains one of newest varieties from Victory, V25-3T. Dekalb's 96SC is shown on the left side of Mike, while on right is V25-3T.

The following image is a liberty link canola trial located near Lanigan, SK. All varieties were either treated with Lumiderm or Fortenza. The surrounding field of L233P was treated with Jumpstart (JS) as well as one treatment of the L345PC, and the DK LL82 SC. 

We have a BrettYoung canola variety trial located near Bruno, SK that includes BY 6074TF as well as TruFlex varieties that are currently in development. The image below was taken on August 11th. 

As mentioned early in the article, this is the Liberty Link Canola Trial that also contains BUTEO Start. B3010M and L345PC were also placed at the end of the trial to compare their performance with the Dekalb lineup. 

Taken on July 23rd, the following images from Climate FieldView show the canola field health NDVI on the left and the location of the planted varieties on the right. The blue line indicates the location of two seeding passes of Nexera 1028 while the green is V14-1 and the orange is Nexera 1024. This trial is near St.Brieux, SK.

AgXplore has a variety of fertility products that are meant to be used in conjunction with each other to supply plants with essential macro and micronutrients throughout the season:

• Charge is a phosphorous based fertilizer with the analysis 8-32-0, 0.05 zinc and added humates.
• ValuPak is a lower phosphorous content fertilizer with a 7-12-1 analysis to help pulse crops develop larger roots and shoots.
• SulPak contains 17% ammonion thiosulfate and has an analysis of 8-0-0-17 aimed at supplying mid season sulfur needs.
• BorPak contains 7.5% boron derived from boric acid along with enzymes and amino acides to aid in longer flowering periods, as well as sugar and carbohydrate transportation within the plant.

Pictured below are plant samples from the same field near Cudworth, SK. The image on the left was the most recent and shows the check on the right compared to the treatment that had Charge, SulPak and BorPak applied. The image on the right was taken earlier in the year with the treated plants on the left side and the check on the right.

The following lentil and wheat trials are also from the Cudworth area. The left image has ten lentil plants from both the check and the trial treatment of Charge (with herbicide), ValuPak and BorPak (with fungicide). The wheat crop pictured on the right demonstrates the amount of main stem and tiller heads gathered from ten random plants; the check with 23, the treatment with charge and sulpak had 20, and the treatment with charge and sulpak had 34.

The first step to an effective herbicide application begins with a field scout and the proper chemical selection. The work however does not stop there; ensuring the products are mixed thoroughly and in the correct order can have a significant impact on the product efficacy and ease of use.
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In the past, the acronym W.A.L.E.S was created to help remember the tank mixing order of various products. With the introduction of more products and additives, it has since expanded to become W.A.M.L.E.G.S. (pictured below). 

Photo credit: Jason Deveau on Twitter (@Spray_Guy)

​This acronym does a good job of giving a general overview of the mixing process, but it is still missing a few items which are included below:

Pesticide Tank Mixing Order

1. Water Conditioners
   1. While the chart above does not include water conditioners in the list, it is the first product that should be placed in the tank (after it is filled ¾ with water) if needed. This includes pH adjusters such as AMS, pHix, and water conditioners that come in the case with products like Simplicity OD, Tandem, and Assert.
2. Wettable Powders, Flowables (DG, DF, WDG, F)
   1. These are your dry products ex) Simplicity GoDri, Part A of Barricade II, Sortan IS etc.
3. Agitate
   1. The wettable powders should be placed into the tank slowly and agitated thoroughly to ensure the product is suspended in the tank. Do not add the next product until this is complete. While there is only one A listed in WAMLEGS, products from each chemical type should be agitated and completely mixed before adding another product type ex) thoroughly mix all the suspension concentrates (SC) prior to adding in the emulsifiable concentrates (EC). 
4. Microcapsule Suspension (ME)
   1. Liquid product, but the active is contained within microcapsules ex) Command 360 ME
5. Liquid and Soluble (SC)
   1. These are the “thick” liquid products ex) Bison/Liquid Achieve, Travallas, Varro, Velocity
6. Emulsifiable Concentrates (EC)
   1. The most popular formulation for in crop herbicides ex) Axial/Brazen II, Infinity, Stellar XL, Pixxaro, Prestige XL
7. High Load Glyphosates
   1. By high load it means the higher concentration formulations, ex) 540g ai formulations like transorb and weathermax.
8. Surfactants
   1. For many of the Corteva products, additional surfactant is required as well as for the group 1 graminicides. A general rule of thumb, surfactants always go into the tank last. Liberty is the exception to that rule where if a product is tank mixed with a graminicide, the adjuvant needs to go in first.
9. Not included in WAMLEGS: Fertility Products
   1. Foliar fertility products should be added to the tank last and agitated thoroughly prior to spraying

Just as the weed control varies with herbicides, so does the application timing. On the early spectrum, certain products may be sprayed as early as the one leaf stage, while others (particularly those with 2,4-D) cannot be safely applied until the 4 leaf stage. On the later end, group 2 graminicides such as flucarbazone (Everest), thiencarbazone (Varro), and imazabethabenz (Assert) can only be sprayed up to the 6 leaf stage safely. Other actives such as tribenuron can be sprayed safely on the crop all the way up to the flag leaf.

With the rain delay, it is best to double check the crop staging and confirm that it is within the label application window prior to spraying. To help put the crop stages into perspective, here is a graph demonstrating the different growth stages of wheat and the phrasing that is in the crop protection guide and on product labels. 

​Here are also a few chemicals and where they fall on the chart above*:

Prior to 1st node/Max 6 leaf, 2-3 tillers/ Prior to Stem Elongation
Assert, Axial Xtreme, Axial Xtreme iPak, Luxxur, Predicade, Tundra, Varro, Velocity, Batalium, Clodinafop, Fenoxaprop, Stellar XL, Everest, Tandem
 
Prior to Flag Leaf Emergence (36)
Cirpreme, Curtail M, Prestige, Rush 24, OcTTain, MCPA, Paradigm, Pixxaro, Rexade, Rezuvant, Avenza, Tridem
 
Early Flag Leaf/Flag Leaf Just Visible (37)
2,4-D, Infinity FX, Buctril M, Thumper, Forcefighter M, Infinity, Pinoxaden, Trakyloxydim
 
Emerged Flag Leaf (39)
Travallas, Barricade II
 
*Please note that best practices include double checking the label or consulting your agronomist prior to spraying. The information above is provided only as a guideline. If you need assistance with staging your crop, don’t hesitate to contact any of us at Horizon Fertilizers.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Whenever dealing with anhydrous, it is important to have the PPE on. This includes long neoprene gloves, a full respirator mask or ventless googles and a respirator, a long sleeved shirt, and pants. Gloves should be rolled up on the edge to prevent drips running into the gloves.

Connecting to the applicator
Before connecting, always check the wind direction. Whichever way the wind is blowing, face upwind in case of an accidental release and have proper PPE on.

1. Make sure the flow control valve is in the off position and close the bleeder valves on either side of the quick coupler.
2. Check the nurse tank supply hose, both the liquid withdrawal valve and the hose and valve must be closed before connecting to the breakaway coupler. Always handle the hose and valve by the valve body and hose, never by the handwheel – this will prevent from opening a valve accidentally.
3. Connect the hose to the quick coupler fitting and then open the hose and the valve.
4. Open the withdrawal valve up on the nurse tank slowly. Watch for leaks if there are none the valve can be opened completely. By opening the withdrawal valve last, it positions you away from the applicator and at the source valve. If there were a leak in the system, you would be able to close the valve immediately.

In the Field
When not applying NH3, close the liquid withdrawal valve on the nurse tank completely. This includes daily tasks such as quitting for the day, meal breaks, moving to another field, etc. 

Steps to Take in Case of an Accident

1. Get upwind and away from the product immediately
2. Call Horizon Fertilizers and 911 if the situation warrants​

If your body comes into contact with the ammonia gas, get water onto the area ASAP and call 911! Rinse thoroughly with clean water for a least 15 minutes to flush the ammonia off. If vapor gets into your eyes, flush for 15+ minutes as well.

• If clothing becomes crystallized or frozen to the body, flush the clothing with water for at least 15min before removing.
• If using a pressurized hose, add a towel or cloth overtop of the burn area to reduce the pressure of the water onto the injured surface. When transporting someone with a burn, keep a moist towel on the exposed area.
• If you inhale or ingest vapor, drink lots of water. Do NOT induce vomiting.
  • If a person is vomiting, ensure the head is below the waist line to prevent the liquid from going into the lungs
• Do not apply oils, creams, or ointments to the burn area and get immediate medical attention.

At the end of the day, we want everyone to have a safe and successful season! If you have any questions or concerns regards anhydrous ammonia, please do not hesitate to call Gary at our Humboldt office (306)-682-2574.

When determining the temperature for spraying, go by the ambient temperature and not the wind chill (if there is one present). When daytime temperatures are projected to reach a minimum 8-10°C, you can go spray once the temp reaches 5°C. Aim to spray in the morning or afternoon as the temperatures rise throughout the day and the plants will be actively growing then. If the evening is forecast to drop below 10°C, it’s best to stop spraying 1.5-2 hours before sunset or before the temperature drops below the 10°C threshold. Stopping ahead of time allows the plants to fully take in the chemical. For systemic chemicals such as glyphosate, this means moving it from the leaves to the growing points.

How long to wait before seeding?
Under good growing conditions, seeding may resume after 6 hours of an application of glyphosate if there was only annual weeds present. If tank mixing with other products or spraying under more stressful conditions (ex) cooler temperatures) wait a day before beginning to seed or starting other field work.

For perennial weeds, wait 72 hours after spraying in good growing conditions. If the weather is cool and cloudy, wait another day to allow sufficient time for the chemical to move to the roots of the weeds.

Spraying after frost
If the nighttime temperatures dip in the range of 0 to -4°C, it’s ok to spray the next day go as long as day time temps reach 8-10°C. If the temperatures are colder than -5°C, wait 1-2 days to assess the frost damage and see if the plants are beginning to actively grow again. A good rule of thumb is to look for at least 60% green material on a plant after a hard frost before going out and spraying.

The following chart shows the lowest average temperature that various crops will germinate at. While the crops will germinate at these temperatures, something to keep in mind is frost risk. For example, canola will germinate in cooler soil but once it emerges it is very susceptible to frost and may be damaged if low temperatures are in the forecast. 

These are the soil temperatures that our agronomist's have been finding over the past week. These were all taken on canola stubble around 9am at a 1.5 inch depth. In terms of soil temperatures, it's safe to say most crops are good to go with the exception of some large pulses!

April 29th - Bruno = 4.6°C, Leroy = 5°C
April 30th - Cudworth = 7°C, Leroy = 6.6°C
May 1st - Leroy = 8°C, Bruno = 7.1°C
May 4th - Bruno = 6.3°C

Spring 2020 is gearing up for a great pre-burn season! Both soil and air temps are rising as are the weeds. As our agronomists are out scouting fields, they've been reminded of how similar looking a number of weeds are at the seedling stage. Specifically, Narrow-leaved Hawk’s Beard (NLHB) and Dandelion.

Here are some simple tips for correctly identifying these commonly mistaken weed seedlings:

It is difficult to ID either plant based on cotyledon alone. The first true leaves tend to be the first indication there is a difference. A dandelion seedlings first true leaves will have sparse, irregular toothing on the edges of the leaves. These “spiked” margins tend to point back towards the middle of the plant.

​While NLHB first true leaves will initially have quite a smooth, narrow appearance but will quickly develop leaves with variable margins ranging from sparsely toothed to deeply lobed. These margins tend to point up and away from the middle of the plant. A NLHB rosette will often lay quite flat against the ground then have leaves that point upwards (pictured below on the left).

It is important to correctly ID these seedlings as the preburn options are quite different depending on the crops you will be growing. Aside from glyphosate having some activity on both, a second mode of action added to your preburn glyphosate will improve the control of these weeds immensely.

For cereals there are many options that will effectively control both weed seedlings. Select a preburn option that includes one of more of the following actives, Florasulam, Tribenuron, Pyraflufen-ethyl and/or Halauxifen (Arylex).

For canola, the preburn options are much smaller and therefore you will have to rely on your glyphosate rates for control of these weed seedlings. Fortunately, there is a new Gr. 4 active, Halauxifen (Arylex) which has exceptionally good activity on both NLHB and Dandelion seedlings.

For pulses, several actives such as Tribenuron and Pyraflufen-ethyl can be added to your preburn glyphosate and control these seedlings very well. 
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NLHB and Dandelion remains a challenge to control in any cropping system. Both species thrive in late fall/ early spring, so it is key to control them early in the growing season. Fortunately, there are now many effective preburn options available and the need to rely on glyphosate alone for control is now much less. 

We hope this has been informative for you! If there's anything that comes up, please don't hesitate to give any of us at Horizon Fertilizers a call - we're more than willing to give a hand. Later on in May we'll be posting the second portion of our blog so be sure to stay tuned for that!

Following up on the Corn Agronomy 101 blog, here is the second portion from our intended Corn and Forage meeting!

​Forages can be seeded at any point in the growing season, but there are different risk and factors to take into consideration.

​Early spring typically provides the greatest amount of moisture and the best chance at establishment . In midsummer, more weeds can be left to germinate and killed prior to seeding but moisture is a concern and may or may not be adequate depending on the year. Leaving seeding until late fall is considered the riskiest of options. The plants may establish prior to winter, but the spring run off and freeze/thaw cycles can cause significant seedling damage and a reduction in plant stand.

For the best stand and germination results, seed should be place into a firm seedbed be to ensure seed-soil contact​. Ideally, ¼ - ½ inch are the best depths to seed at. If in doubt, it’s better to go shallow than deep. Seeding rates should be based on the target amount of plants per square foot. Since forage seedlings are weak, seeding 4x the desired plant population is a good method.
 
Horizon Fertilizers along with BrettYoung Seeds have a blend calculator that provides an estimate of seeds/f2 of various species.

Alberta Agriculture has a fantastic guideline table that we often reference. For a new stand, it’s best to consider higher rates of phosphorous, potassium, and sulphur. With phosphorous, keep in mind that the max amount of P2O5 that can safely seed placed is 15lb/ac. We highly recommend soil testing prior to seeding to ensure the correct nutrients are be applied and the crop potential may is maximized.

For grass stands, the highest nutrient requirement is nitrogen. If soil tests on established tests reveal a deficiency and soil moisture is good, the plants will respond significantly to an application. If moisture conditions are drier than normal, the fertility rate should be decreased.

Spring has the greatest amount of moisture so is the best time to broadcast nitrogen. The ideal timing is prior to active grass growth. If there is plans to do more than one cut on the field in the year, the total nitrogen amount can be split with the second application happening after the first cut occurs.

With alfalfa/grass stand it is more likely that phosphorous is the limiting factor. A soil test is also encouraged for to determine the current soil nutrient levels. If deficient, the best time to broadcast is early spring when there is sufficient moisture conditions. A yearly application of 20-40lbs/ac P2O5 is recommended to maintain the crop removal rates with a known deficiency.

Generally, cover crops are not a recommended practice with establishing forages*. Adding another crop creates competition and decreases the chance of proper establishment. If a cover crop is the desired route, it is advised to reduce the cover crop seeding rate from 1/3-1/2 the normal seeding rate. Later in season, the cover crop should be removed early as green feed.

​*Where soil erosion is an issue, cover crops have been found to be beneficial. 

We can’t grow corn here… oh wait, yes we can!! ​Whether your end goal is to graze, grain or silage corn, with some planning and some prepping, growing corn in Central Sask can be a viable rotation on your farm. Here’s how…

​Assuming you have no prior issues with a severe deficiency - focus on Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. Sulphur and Zinc are great to add if it is possible, but not as critical.  If corn is ever starved of essential macronutrients during the growing season it will delay maturity in the fall (opposite of cereals, we know).

Grain Corn Requirements (Silage in brackets):

• Nitrogen- 1lb of N per bushel (9-10lbs per wet Metric/tonne)
• Phosphorus- .44- .63 lb per bushel (3.5lbs per wet M/tonne)
• Potassium- .28- 1lb per bushel (12lbs per wet M/tonne)
• Sulphur- 0.07-.15lb per bushel (10lbs per wet M/tonne)
• Zinc- 1lb total

​Corn is extremely touchy to establish especially up to the V4 (4 leaves with collars visible) stage. Keeping your corn weed free is critical. Including a pre-seed mix such as Heat Complete, Focus, Goldwing or BlackHawk to your Glyphosate will keep competitive weeds in check. 

Now, assuming you are growing a Roundup Ready Corn Hybrid, you will be applying Roundup 2 x .67L/ac up to the 8-leaf stage. You also have some flexible tank mix options including Armezon which the staging window is wide and no re-cropping restrictions for next year. 

There are some phenoxy herbicides such as 2,4-D and Bromoxynil that can be tank mixed as well BUT you must consult with your seed supplier as not all corn hybrids are tolerant to these products.

One of the biggest hurdles to overcome when including corn in your rotation is equipment. A planter is highly recommended as planting corn with an air drill won’t allow for singulation which is critical for establishing an even corn stand (corn is very sensitive to competition from a weed or itself). If an air drill is your only option, be sure to increase seeding rates to compensate for competition within the rows (and prepare yourself to BE patient as emergence will take FOREVER!!) Seeding rate should range between 28,000-32,000 seeds/ac (2.86- 2.67 ac bag).
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Grain and silage corn need to be planted as early in May as possible keeping in mind that cold soils and rain can cause chilling injury. Grazing corn has more flexibility and can be planted later in May.

Other agronomic issues that may arise when growing corn may include insect pressure such as cutworms. The growing point of a corn plant typically stays below the ground until V4 (4-5 leaf stage). Cutworms typically feed below the soil surface very aggressively which will potentially damage the corn plant permanently. An evening application of Chlorpyrifos is then necessary for control.
 

Including corn in your rotation will stretch out harvest well into the fall. Grain corn is typically harvested around 25-30% moisture and then dried to 15.5% for storage (hence the massive driers in every farmer’s yard in the US corn belt).  Silage is chopped at approx. 65% whole plant moisture and grazing corn typically relies on a killing frost to shut down the growing activity and lock in the feed value.
 
Whether it is grain, silage or grazing, maximum yield and nutritional value come from fully developed ears (cob) filled with seed!

Welcome! First off we want to say thank you for checking out our new blog, "On the Horizon." Each month we plan to publish a summary of what's going on at Horizon Fertilizers and how it effects you, our customer. In the future we'll be sharing agronomy tips, best management practices, invitations to research meetings & customer appreciation events, as well as new offerings and services.

In this post we'll touch on the safety protocols Horizon Fertilizers has in place for COVID-19, our *NEW* online Grower Central login, and seed treating services. 

These times are unprecedented and as such we've had to take drastic measures to ensure the safety our of customers, employees, and greater community members. On March 23rd, we closed our office doors to customers and temporarily to our employees while a safety strategy was put in place. Since then, we've implemented the following protocols to ensure that we continue to service our customers as best we can while staying healthy and safe:
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• ​At every location our doors remain closed to customers until further notice. If you have any questions or concerns, we are all able to address them over phone or email. Check out the contact page for a list of our employees.
• We are continuing to deliver fertilizer and seed out to farm as shipments are brought in. Chemical is also available to be sent to farm upon request. Our drivers have a moffat forklift on the back of the trailer that enables them to unload pallets and place them in the yard or a shed without contact. 
• For payments we are able to take credit card over the phone, cheques may be mailed in, or a drop off can be coordinated by calling your local HFL office. 
• Our employees are practicing social distancing by either working from home or working alone within their designated work areas  (ex. truck drivers remain in their truck while being loaded at our facilities). In situations where employees must be briefly in the same area, a social distance of at least 2 metres is maintained. Anyone who is feeling unwell will be asked to remain home. If they test positive for COVID-19, they will quarantine at home for two weeks and notify anyone that they may have been near leading up to that point. 
• Surfaces touched by our employees who are present at our facilities are sanitized on a daily basis

We will continue to operate with these measures in place and follow the Saskatchewan Health Authority(SHA) guidelines until we are told operations may return to normal. If spring arrives and the COVID-19 SHA guidelines are not lifted, we will provide customers with products at our facilities. Loading of fertilizer and chemical will be completed by our employees, but customers will not be permitted entrance into any of our buildings. At the end of the month we will have a better idea of what to expect for May and June and make an announcement detailing our protocols then.  
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We listened to feedback from our customers that wanted to be able to access their Horizon Fertilizers account online. We agreed that it was something you deserved, so we teamed up with Tronia programmers to create Grower Central !

Grower Central offers our customers the ability to view their current owing balance, prepayment funds, previous loadout tickets, invoices, statements, work orders, and more online from the comfort of home! Everything published on here is in real time, so you always know what's on your account. Anyone that has an account with us (or wants to get one) is eligible for this service. To get set up, follow these simple steps:
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1. Send an email from your farm or personal email to amandahorizon@sasktel.net and ask to be set up on Grower Central. In the email please include your account or farm name so everything is properly linked.
2. Next you'll recieve an email from Lynne with a temporary password and a link to log in. Your email will be your username. 

    3.   After using your temporary password, you'll be prompted to create your own password to use afterwards.
   4.   You're good to go! Now you're able to access all your account information and know in real time what's present in your account, what products are loaded out and more!

                             The login portal will always be available here on our website and is titled "Grower Central" 

Seeding is right around the corner and we want to make sure that you're ready to go when the snow melts! Horizon Fertilizers owns a storm seed treater and has certified employees that are able to come out to your farm. With any purchase of Precision Starter or Nutripak, the equivalent amount of seed will be treated for free. For example, with the purchase of 4 Precision Starter jugs, the 368bu of wheat that the product treats will be completed free of charge.

​ If you're interested in this service or would like more details,
​call Chris @ 306-231-6436 
or email him @ chrishorizon@sasktel.net

Please note with COVID-19, we'll ask that customers be present to watch and move around their grain. To prevent the transfer of any potential germs, we will not be touching any of our customers equipment and ask that they not touch the seed treater or chemical jugs. Social distancing of at least 2m will also be maintained to ensure everyone stays safe and healthy.  ​