Area farmers were out in force over the last week with 89 per cent of the crop now in the ground, up from 71 per cent last week according to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture's Crop Report for May 29-June 4.
Area farmers were out in force over the last week with 89 per cent of the crop now in the ground, up from 71 per cent last week according to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture's Crop Report for May 29-June 4.
Seeding progress across the southeast region ranges from 60 to 100 per cent complete.
"There is definitely still some wet spots out there; we're probably 75 to 80 per cent finished seeding," said Dean Nikolejsin, who farms north of Cedoux.
The five-year average for this time of year is 80 per cent of acres seeded.
Spotty showers were reported across the region during the week of May 29-June 4, with 7 millimetres in the Weyburn area, but then all field operations were halted on Thursday when the Weyburn area received 14mm of rainfall.
"The way it has been going, it's a week on and a week off," said Nikolejsin.
Water has been playing a factor and it is estimated that nine per cent of acres will remain unseeded due to excess moisture.
"There is a good reserve of water out here, some areas are flooded - I would say about 10 per cent of acres," said Brad Eggum, a Halbrite-Midale area farmer.
The ministry is reporting cropland topsoil moisture conditions as 26 per cent surplus and 74 per cent adequate for the region. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 20 per cent surplus and 80 per cent adequate. Crop districts 1B and 2A are reporting 37 per cent and 55 per cent of crop acres have surplus moisture.
Some crop reporters have indicated there are emergence issues with canola and flax due to heavy rains crusting the soil surface.
"They've been a little spotty because it was right on the edge of being dry enough when we seeded. There have been some emergence problems in wheel tracks and other places we have crusting problems," said Eggum.
The majority of reported crop damage was due to flooding, while flea beetles are also starting to feed on canola crops.
High winds have also delayed spraying operations in some areas.
Across the province 91 per cent of the 2012 crop has been seeded, ahead of the five-year average of 86 per cent.
The majority of spring cereal crops are in the pre-emergent and emerging stages of crop development. Fall cereals are in the jointed to shot-blade stage. The majority of pulse crops are emerging and in the vegetative stages; canola and mustard crops mostly are pre-emergent or in the emerging stages of development. Province-wide, 20 per cent of the canola and mustard is in the seeding stage.
Province-wide topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as 16 per cent surplus, 83 per cent adequate and one per cent short.
Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is 11 per cent surplus, 87 per cent adequate and two per cent short.
