| | Many farms in northeast Alberta faced unfamiliar circumstances this spring with fields too wet to seed. Special attention to these "idle" acres will be required this summer. Alberta Reduced Tillage LINKAGES (RTL), together with Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), recognize both the challenge and opportunity this situation presents.
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"Experience with unseeded acres may vary with growers, soil zone and farm size," says Ron Heller, RTL. "Generally, weeds will pose the greatest threat. Previously disturbed soil that was under intensive tillage may already be subject to erosion and prone to further degradation. Ideally, avoid tillage where possible.
"Custom spraying arrangements are often the best bet. The rush for spring crops has passed, and spraying can now be more easily engaged and is likely more cost-effective and timely than field cultivation. Alternatively, most farms have a field sprayer on-hand and the current pricing for chem-fallow herbicides is at an all-time low. Well-managed crop residue will not become a barrier for direct seeding, while bare summer fallow means more work all season, including next spring."
To fully exploit the benefits of chem-fallow, planned or otherwise, crop residue must be managed. Ideally, straw and chaff were well chopped or spread during the previous harvest. The longer windrows are left abandoned, the more difficult a field is to manage for chem-fallow and for re-seeding. Adequate harrowing may be required, but this also compromises the desirable goal of minimizing stubble knock-down.
"The degree of residue decomposition to anticipate with chem-fallow, depends on weather, soil conditions and the crop residue type and quantity," says Heller. "Typically, canola and pea stubble break down faster than cereals."
Ideally, farmers wouldn't have to worry about unseeded acres; however, the situation does present itself occasionally. The following is a list of actions that farmers can plan and prepare for as they attempt to salvage an unexpected forced fallow:
- Relax - this may actually be an unexpected head start on next year's crop (smile).
- Field test - nutrient needs for a crop following chem-fallow may be different than cropped acres. Soil sampling and professional analysis is advised.
- Know your machinery operational costs per acre - a pass with a field sprayer can be less expensive than recreational tillage.
- Check herbicide labels - herbicide resistance and/or subsequent cropping restrictions may apply for some herbicide and weed combinations. Glyphosater is the favoured active ingredient for chem-fallow in Alberta; however, it does not control all weeds equally. Always refer to product labels.
- Think ahead - consider fall-seeding a crop, such as winter wheat.
"When land is too wet to be seeded in spring it leaves an ideal opportunity to seed winter wheat in the fall," says Dale Soetaert, DUC. "Having acres available for winter wheat production in a continuous cropping system is almost always a challenge, but having chem-fallow available is almost ideal for northeast Alberta."
There are three main reasons why a producer would consider growing winter wheat:
- Higher yields and profits - winter wheat has higher yield potential than spring wheat. The price tends to be a bit lower, but with potentially lower input costs gross revenue is very comparable.
- Early maturity - winter wheat matures approximately three weeks earlier than spring wheat and provides premiums through early market availability, disease avoidance and workload efficiencies.
- Weed competition - fall emergence combines with active spring growth for early competition against spring germinating weeds, creating an opportunity to not spray for wild oats, as an example.
Basic rules for winter wheat:
- Seed shallow - winter wheat has a short coleoptile that is not able to come through much more than one inch of soil, but takes very little moisture to germinate and emerge. Research indicates it is better to seed winter wheat shallow into warm dry soil, than to seed deeper into moist, cool soil. This situation confuses novice growers who may seed deeper looking for soil moisture, or wait for fall rains.
- Seed early - the goal is high yields, good weed competition and early maturity, and seeding early is the key. By seeding later than September 15th (the traditional cut off date), the more likely these goals will not be achieved. It is possible to seed on the late side and get a viable stand, but chances of achieving winter wheat's full potential are reduced.
- Seed into standing stubble - in this case, chem-fallow may not be ideal stubble, but rather land that hopefully has some dead growth residue or stubble still standing from the previous crop. This standing material is essential for trapping snow and protecting the crown of the winter wheat plant from cold air temperatures throughout the winter. Without snow cover, there is no insulating layer to protect the plants over the cold winter months.
"It is unfortunate when wet conditions hamper spring seeding plans, but perhaps the opportunity for direct seeders to try winter wheat on those idle acres of chem-fallow will create the success and the desire to permanently incorporate winter wheat into the rotation," says Soetaert.
Contact:
Ron Heller
(780) 853-8262
Dale Soetaert
(780) 930-1250 |
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