By Bruce Cochrane.
A Cereal Crop Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture reports a combination of heat and timely rainfall has given crops across the province an excellent start.
Manitoba Agriculture released its weekly crop report yesterday.
Pam de Rocquigny, a cereal crop specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, reports seeding across Manitoba is very close to wrapping up for 2016, averaging 96 complete and ranging anywhere from 95 to 98 or 99 percent complete across the 5 reporting regions.
Pam de Rocquigny-Manitoba Agriculture:
We definitely received some welcome precipitation starting about mid-week last week and over into the weekend as well in many areas of the province.
A few areas, maybe perhaps the Central Region, did receive a little bit more than what we were hoping but, for the most part, this was definitely welcomed precipitation and it definitely is helping crops in terms of getting them to germinate quickly, to get out of the ground quickly as well and to help with that early season growth as well.
Between some good soil moisture conditions for the most part and warmer temperature I think we're really seeing the crops take off in terms of seeing some rapid growth, that being a really good thing.
There is always variability across the province when ever we talk about soil moisture or how much moisture was received.
We definitely did see variability in terms of the amount of precipitation that was received across the province and that will translate into how wet field conditions are across the province as well.
Some areas are reporting adequate soil moisture.
Some areas are reporting excessive in terms of saturated soil conditions at this point as well.
But, generally speaking for the most part, the precipitation that we did get over the last few days definitely was of benefit to not only the crops but hay fields and pastures as well.
De Rocquigny says planting is pretty to close to where things stood at this time last year and, while progress will vary from year to year, very close to the 5 year average.
She says, as farmers are wrapping up seeding, they're turning their focus to weed control and that's the priority now.
Source: Farmscape