The stage of development for spring cereal crops is near the 10-year average despite concerns of growth delays due to the cool and wet weather. Alberta Agriculture rated spring wheat as 79 per cent good to excellent, above the 45 per cent good to excellent rating given last year. Durum is also 79 per cent good to excellent condition.
Crops Specialist Harry Brooks said the best crops are the cereals while canola has been suffering. “I’ve noticed that there are places where some of the canola has got bare patches in it because of the slow start. There were some flea beetle problems, and some didn’t notice it till it was too late,” Brook said.
“In fact, there was even a little bit of reseeding to cereals to replace canola because their crops were totally obliterated. It’s not general, but certainly if you see a crappy looking canola field – a good chance it’s had insect problems earlier on.” Brooks said he had been in the Castor area and crops are looking good with reports of eight inches of rain so far this year.
“It’s phenomenal. It means the grass is growing and there’s actually hay to cut,” he said. “Speaking of hay, everybody and his dog is out there cutting right now and baling so they should get it off in pretty good condition.
And we’ve actually got a crop to harvest, which sure beats the heck out of last year.” With the current heatwave, Brooks said it’s a little too hot for canola. “Some of the earlier stuff is just approaching full .