Spotty rain helps some crops and pastures

Sporadic rain and how its affecting crops was the highlight in an otherwise short provincial crop report.

The spotty showers brought much needed moisture to dry areas as well as crops less advanced in stage compared to others, while cooler weather helped crops still in the flowering stage.

For more advanced crops, the rain isn't going to impact yield. Grain farmers are hoping for more moisture to help with head and pod filling.

Crops Extension Specialist with the Ministry of Agriculture Kim Stonehouse says some regions got more than others.

"Some of the heavier rainfall fell in the northwest, the southwest, and the southeast, but many regions got only trace amounts or none at all." said Stonehouse.

The Richmound area reported the most rain this past week with 62 millimetres (mm), followed by the Meadow Lake area with 47 mm, Alida area with 46 mm, the Carnduff area 41 mm and the Oxbow area 38 mm.

He says small amounts of hail were reported, but damage due to hail and other factors including heat, dry conditions, gophers, grasshoppers, flea beetles and aphids were minor overall this past week.

The current state of crops look OK overall, according to Stonehouse.

"Most crops are rated right now as in fair to good condition, with a small number being as excellent and a few are poor as well. The majority of the crops are showing a slight improvement in their conditions since they were last reported a couple of weeks ago." he said.

The rain didn't maintain current topsoil moisture levels, Provincially, moisture for cropland is rated as 65 per cent adequate, 28 per cent short and seven per cent very short. Moisture for hay land is 55 per cent adequate, 36 per cent short and nine per cent very short. Moisture for pasture land is 55 per cent adequate, 32 per cent short and 13 per cent very short.