Dry soil: Seed now or wait?

Growers don’t have to be in a rush to seed canola in early May. Other crops such as cereals and pulses that are more suitable for deeper seeding to reach moisture may be better choices if you’re waiting for rain. However, if the choice is to seed canola now into dry soil or wait until after it rains, seeding into dry soil is a workable option. Please read the article on seeding in dry conditions.

Based on long-term trends, canola seeded in early to mid May yields more than canola seeded in late May. While the late May 2015 killing frost still weighs on growers’ minds, seeding late May to avoid frost may mean growers miss out on the higher yield potential that an early seeding date usually provides. As Murray Hartman says, “2015 was a year to forget, not a year to learn lessons from. Plan for more probable outcomes.”