The critical weed-free period are the crop stages in which the greatest yield reductions can occur from weed competition. If weeds are kept to a minimum during these periods, yield losses (from weeds) should be minimized to <5%.

These are the stages for various crops:
Cereals: 1-3 leaf stage
Canola: 3-4 leaf stage is the most critical, but weeds from the canola emergence – 6th leaf stage will impact yield
Peas: 1-2 weeks after emergence
Lentils: 5-10 node stage
Corn: V3 - V6
Soybean: V1 – V3 stage
Forages: 4-6 weeks after planting in a year of establishment
 
Weeds that emerge following the critical weed free period are primarily cosmetic. If they go to seed, they will add to the weed seed bank for the next year and may hinder harvestability, but the yield penalties for the current crop are minor.

Our agronomists are always on hand to answer questions about weeds. You can send them a picture with a description via text or email and they'll help you with the identification. If you’d rather solve which species it is for yourself though, here’s a few ways to narrow down the possibilities:

1. Assess the size

• If it’s big and the snow only melted last week, that means it’s was growing last year and is either a winter annual, biennial, or perennial weed.
• If it’s a newly emerging plant it has the potential to be an annual or any of the longevities listed above.

2. Look for defining characteristics

• Are the leaves or stems hairy?
• Are the leaves uniquely shaped?
• Are the leaves uniquely colored? Check both the surface and underside.
• Is it small enough where there’s only the first two leaves (a.k.a the cotyledons?) If so, what shape are they?
• Does the plant grow upwards or spread out across the soil?
• Flower shape and colour?
• Are there any seeds that have developed yet?

3. Pull up the roots

• Is it hard to pull out and have a long tap root? Ex) dandelion
• Are there rhizomes (roots connected to other plants) that remained in the soil? Ex) perennial sow thistle
• Are the roots well developed and fibrous ex) foxtail barley

4. Where is the plant growing?

• Is it in a low spot, midslope, or hilltop?
• Is the weed near the ditch or field entrance or is it in the middle of the field?
• Are there similar plants growing around it?

 
After answering question like these it’s easier to narrow down the choices in a weed identification book afterwards. Google images can also be helpful with the right combination of keywords! 

Many products purchased at a retail play a role in inhibiting/killing a pest. Inoculants however are living organisms and need to be treated with care. Whether the inoculant you choose is a granular, liquid, or peat formulation, you want to get the greatest efficacy possible. To help ensure that, use the handling guidelines below:

• Store in a dry environment
• Don’t store in direct sunlight or drying winds
• Don’t store next to pesticides or fertilizers
• Use before expiry date
• Don’t leave inoculant in the tank overnight
• Keep cool but not frozen (0-20C)

Seedbed Utilization (SBU) is one of the most , if not THE most important calculation to have at your fingertips. Seedbed utilization is the amount of the seedbed over which fertilizer has been spread and reflects the concentration of fertilizer. The higher the SBU, the more fertilizer that can be safely applied with the seed:

• SBU% = fertilizer spread/row spacing x 100

So if the seeding drill has 6 inch spacing and spreads the seed and fertilizer over 2 inches, the SBU would be 33% (2/6 x 100 = 33). By obtaining the SBU, it enables you and your agronomist to determine the safe rate of fertilizer to apply. Other factors that play a role in determining the safe rate include the soil type, moisture levels, and crop trash.

The image above shows the SBU and the approximate 46-0-0 urea rates (actual lb N/ac) that can be seed placed with cereals.
​Source: Government of Manitoba.

Glyphosate has been a fantastic tool for efficiency, and it would be great to keep it that way! But sadly, over 70% of the Glyphosate used in 2019 and 2020 was used ALONE.  Compared to other modes of action, glyphosate is rated as medium risk for resistance. There are several weed species that have become resistant however including Canada fleabane (Northern USA & Ontario), Kochia (SK, MB, AB) and Waterhemp (Northern USA, ONT, MB). There are currently no glyphosate resistant wild oats in Canada, but this past year there were resistant plants found in Australia. When Dr. Beckie was a scientist with Agriculture Canada he predicted that wild oats were one of the highest risk weed species, followed by cleavers. One of the top 10 best management practices to manage and prevent herbicide resistant populations is to tank mix modes of action. There’s a pre-seed tank mix option for every crop grown in Western Canada. If you’d like to discuss the different options, one of our knowledgeable Agronomists would be more than happy to help you.

There are two types of reports available to alert a farmer about a potential wheat midge threat in the coming season:

1. Provincial Wheat Midge Forecast
2. Wheat Grade Reports

 
In 2020, the provincial wheat midge forecast map did not highlight an issue for most of our geography. There were pockets however around Bruno and north that were higher risk. In season there were midge seen above threshold in some of those areas.

The other forecast that sometimes is overlooked are wheat grade reports from previous seasons. Wheat midge are not good at flying large distances. In a year of a bad outbreak, adjacent fields to where the outbreaks occurred are at the greatest risk. Between May-June, if a field does not receive >22mm of moisture, the midge will not hatch. The eggs may stay dormant in the soil for years until wetter conditions are present to hatch. Therefore it helps to look back not only on the past years wheat grade report but several to see the midge trend on your farm.

In the New Year the provincial government will release the 2021 midge forecast map which will give a general scope on the midge population for the coming season.

Above photos are wheat midge damage on CWRS and CWAD. Credit: Grains Canada.

Did you know that up to 90% of a cereal’s N requirements are taken up between tillering and flowering? Therefore, it is critical that most of the Nitrogen required by a cereal crop must be available early in the crop’s growing season. 

Options to apply nitrogen include spreading, banding, and foliar applications in season. To figure out the best strategy and product(s) for your farm, talk with our agronomists to help plan the next season with you. 

Photo credit: Crop Smart Australia

The disease Aphanomyces is one of the biggest threats to pea and lentil crops in Western Canada. As a soil borne disease, there are limited control options. The starting point for success begins with selecting the best field(s). Ways to assess include looking at the field rotation history and environmental conditions that were present the last time the field was seeded to a pea or lentil crop. Was the crop successful and the conditions dry? Was it cool and wet? How long ago was the last time the field was seeded to a pea or lentil crop?

If the conditions were dry and the crop did well, there may not be as many spores within the soil. If the conditions were cold, wet and the disease pressure was high, the chance of aphanomyces being an issue again is greater. With a dry year with minimal pressure, you may be able to get away with having a tighter pulse crop rotation. If not, it is suggested to wait 8 years.

What if you don’t know the previous conditions when there was a pulse crop? Or even when the last time there was a pulse crop on that field?

That’s where having a soil test can come in handy. There are labs that can conduct soils tests to determine the amount of aphanomyces spores within a field. Another alternative is to collect soil and grow peas in pots at home prior to seeding to determine the potential survivability under high moisture conditions.

If the spore levels are low, another tool to help manage aphanomyces is the seed treatment Intego Solo. It is registered for suppression of early season infection of Aphanomyces. It does not help with later season infections or high spore loads however.

In the next 3-5 years the Crop Development Center in Saskatoon is aiming to release pea varieties with some aphanomyces resistance.

Picture above: the varying degrees of Aphanomyces infection in pea roots.
​Photo credit: Dr. Syama Chatterton.

Having good water quality is key, especially with herbicides such as glyphosate. With water levels going down the last few years, water sources in pockets of our geography have begun to show a greater concentration of minerals. More minerals such as calcium, iron, and magnesium mean harder water, and potentially reduced efficacy with certain pesticide applications. 

Generally following winter and the snow melt, water source conditions are at their best. Depending on the previous year, the amount of winter precipitation, and the water source itself, the mineral concentration will vary. In previous years, August at desiccation timing was when we saw the greatest increase in hard water samples.  Each of our locations has a water hardness testing kit. If you would like to have your water tested anytime in season, feel free to come by with your water sample.

For those that are curious about the hardness levels, here is a breakdown of what is or isn’t acceptable for glyphosate use:

We've all been there... After mixing and beginning to pour chemical, the doubt sparks and you wonder, "Did I put the right amount in?" With seed treating however, it's not just the amount of chemical that can make or break the process. To achieve the correct rate and coverage, there are several factors to consider:

1. Number of bushels - The number of bushels or kg dictates the amount of chemical needed.
2. Flow or speed of the grain being treated - In order to add the correct amount of chemical onto the seed as it's being treated, calibration is key. You'll need to know how fast the grain is going through to ensure the proper rate is being added throughout the process.
3. Grain Temperature - Cold seed and seed treatments do not go well together at all. To prevent the issues that stem from cold seed such as flaking, it's best to turn on an aeration fan in spring when the weather is warmer or turn a bin around prior to seed treating. If it's still cold both outside and inside the bin, it may be in your best interest to hold off. 
4. Fill Capacity - Seed treating is not something you want to do at 70-100% capacity. If there is too much grain being treated at once, there's not sufficient room for the grain to move around and spread the seed treatment. Likewise, if there's not enough seed in the treater (10-40% capacity), you won't get good seed to seed contact which will also result in poor coverage. Shooting for the 50-65% capacity is the sweet spot for treating.

At the end, your seed should be evenly covered and a light red/pink colour. For reference, the first image is barley treated with Raxil Pro under the correct conditions. The second image is untreated.

Photo Credit: Scott Barr, Seed Growth Specialist, Bayer

If seed treating is something you don't enjoy or have time for, we offer custom seed treating services. We have qualified employees at each location who are able to bring our Storm seed treater our to your farm in spring. For more info on this service, feel free to Contact Us.

There's a new flea beetle insecticide on the market called Buteo Start. Compared to other insecticide seed treatments, Buteo Start is rapidly taken up from the seed and concentrated in the cotyledons where the greatest flea beetle feeding generally occurs. As a Bayer product, Buteo Start is currently only available on new Dekalb and select BrettYoung canola varieties.

Even with an added insecticide seed treatment however, it doesn't mean the crop is invincible. It’s still important to scout for flea beetles from the cotyledon to four leaf stage. The best conditions for flea beetle feeding is when the weather is warm and dry. When 25% leaf area damage has occurred, it's time to apply an insecticide. Circumstances where spraying may be warranted prior to 25% leaf damage are when conditions are windy/cool and the flea beetles have been feeding on the stems. If you know fields have been an issue in the past, you may want to consider an added insecticide seed treatment.

Come spring if you need help checking a few fields for flea beetles or aren't quite sure if they've reached the economic threshold, your HFL agronomist will be more than happy to come take a look!

With such a long list of Canola varieties on the market it can be difficult to decide. There are several different traits you may want to consider:

1. Disease resistance is a big one. Many of the varieties now have resistance to clubroot, sclerotinia, and blackleg to some degree, which is especially important if canola is grown in a tight rotation. 
2. Another factor to consider is days to maturity. It’s often best to grow some earlier maturing varieties along with some mid maturing varieties in our growing zone. This helps split up the work load in the fall.
3. “Pod Shatter” or harvest max traits are important particularly if you're is looking to do some straight cutting. You can also benefit by swathing these varieties later than normal. This in turn can also split up a the harvest workload.
4. Most importantly you'll need to decide on the herbicide tolerance system, be it Roundup Ready, Liberty Link, or Clearfield. Particularly in a tight rotation it is important to change things up to avoid herbicide resistance and clean up the volunteers. 

By rating and prioritizing each of the traits listed above, your HFL agronomist help you narrow in on a few varieties that would be the best agronomic and economic fit for your farm!

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.
​
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. 
​
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.  ​