Mid-April with snow on the ground means we are a few weeks from getting in the fields. As we wait for Mother Nature to start cooperating there are a few things to think about when preparing for this potentially delayed start to the field season. To make seeding go smoothly and quickly planning ahead can make the job go smoothly and the results a success no matter what crop you are seeding.
Cool wet conditions look like the norm right now. Combining these conditions with disease on seed and high levels of disease on the residue from last year, seed treatments are important. To save one step at seeding time you may want to consider having your seed treated prior to the busy season. Having the seed treated properly and evenly is key to the effectiveness of the fungicide.
Know your targeted seeding rates. Have the seeding rates calculated and ready so all you have to do is set the seeder and go. If seeding is delayed then increased seeding rates can help hasten maturity and ensure uniformity. The drawback to increased seeding rates is handling more seed which can slow down the seeding process. Plan to seed at the following seeds per metre square: canola-150, cereals-300, peas -100 and lentils-140 based on average survival rates and germination above 95 per cent. Use your actual seed weight to calculate what you need to target for seeding this year.
Seeding depth is critical for good even emergence. Making sure all openers are seeding at an even depth is important and making adjustments or replacements as necessary at the start of the season can make for a happier time when crop starts coming up. With the moisture and cooler temperatures we have so far, keep seeding depth shallow. If moisture is to the surface there is no need to seed peas at three inches. Research has shown that seeding depth is critical. Shallow seeded crops tend to emerge earlier and more even as long as there are good moisture conditions.
Seeding speed is also something to consider and is under the control of the operator. Recommendations to seed at four to five mph are still valid and do provide the best seed bed for your seed. However, in conditions where seeding is getting delayed, increasing your speed by half to one mph may mean the difference between getting seed in the ground on time or not, especially if you have a large acreage to seed. In an ADOPT project in northwest Saskatchewan where producers participated in a canola seeding speed project in 2011 and 2012 it was found that out of the 27 field scale projects only four had plant populations that were negatively affected by increased seeding speeds. Speeds ranged from three to seven mph and the largest response was six plants per square metre loss for every mph increase in speed. Moisture conditions for this project were ideal and if similar conditions exist for 2013 then increasing your seeding speed by half or one mph may be something to consider if you are pressed for time. Ensuring even seeding depth will be something to monitor if increasing speed.
With good moisture conditions we need to watch for compaction. Minimize the movement of heavy equipment on the field and even the movement of smaller equipment and vehicles. Spread the weight over wider tires or more tires as much as possible.
Fertility is also something to consider. To minimize the loads on wetter fields or to speed up the seeding process you may want to consider separating some of the fertilizer from the seeding operation. Applications before or after seeding can save time during seeding but do add another pass on the field. As long as the fertilizer is available for the crop by tillering with cereals and cabbaging stage with canola, there should be no yield penalties.
Timing of seeding is the last critical point. Soil temperature has a large impact on seeding and crops should be seeded when the depth of seeding reaches suitable temperatures. Most crops grown in Saskatchewan require around 5 C for germination but prefer much warmer temperatures. Ensuring the soil at seeding depth has reached 5 C will assist with good emergence.
There are many things to think about while we wait for the snow to melt and the fields to dry up. Preparing equipment, having seed and seeding rates ready, and having fertility plan are the first steps. Checking soil temperature is the second step. The last step is to set seeding depth and choose an appropriate seeding speed.
For more information on this, or other crops related topics, contact Sherrilyn Phelps at 306-446-7475 or the Agriculture Knowledge Center at 1-866-457-2377.
