Before Writing off the Crop

Before making re-seed decisions consider the following:

• Take a close look. Get down, way down, at ground level and look for signs of recovery. A plant with a green, intact growing point can still continue to grow. A magnifying glass will help zero-in on the tiny plant parts.
• Scratch around and scrape back crop residue or the top layers of soil to check for canola yet to emerge. In the drier areas, there may still be seeds that have not germinated or emerged waiting for rain to fill in the gaps.
• Scout fields thoroughly to determine the portion of a field that is affected.  Perhaps only low-lying areas have been damaged. Or maybe the small percentage of the field affected enough to benefit significantly from re-seeding, does not warrant re-planting the entire field.
• If possible, take a second look. Unless it is obvious that a crop is blackened and will not recover, wait three or four days and check again to see if plants have begun to show signs of recovery. Marking plants (with a wire flag or wire ring) will help follow the recovery of the same plants more closely.
• Consult your local crop insurance agency for their policies to understand the implications of leaving a stand or deciding to re-seed.