• Straight-cut vs swath – tips to help decide

    August 14, 2013

    Wet soil conditions in parts of Manitoba have some producers debating straight cutting to allow fields to dry out. Crops that are good candidates for straight cutting are uniform, well knitted and have good standability. A slightly leaning crop can still be good to straight cut. Click here for more information on the risks and rewards of the two different…

  • Top 10 things to address before you swath

    August 8, 2013

    2. At what percent seed colour change (SCC) will you begin swathing? The ideal for yield and quality is 60% seed colour change, but growers with lots of canola to swath will probably have to cut some earlier — especially if late-seeded canola caught up to early-seeded canola and everything seems to be at the same stage. 1. Assess the…

  • Swathing a multi-staged crop

    August 8, 2013

    The swath decision becomes more difficult in crops with plants at multiple stages of growth. For example, if some plants are at 60% seed colour change (SCC) on the main stem and other plants are still flowering, growers may want to hold off on swathing. Or if plants are large with many secondary stems, the main stem may be at…

  • Frost in forecast: Should you swath now?

    September 12, 2012

    With light frost in the forecast, crop left standing will still have a chance to mature further. A heavy frost will lock in high green counts unless the crop has adequate dry down time to achieve a seed moisture of 20% or less. Swathing has to occur at least 3 good drying days before the frost to achieve this benefit…

  • After frost: Wait at least 4-6 hours for initial damage assessment

    September 12, 2012

    Canola can usually withstand a light frost, and immature crops are best left standing to finish. However, check anyway. The crop may look undamaged that morning but by lunch time, wilting, desiccation and pod splitting may begin. If you scout early and then not again, you may underestimate the damage and miss a chance to swath now to save some…

  • Disease assessment at swathing

    August 29, 2012

    When doing their own disease surveys, growers may find it easier to check crops while swathing. Stop at five random spots in the field while swathing and check 20 standing plants at each spot. This will give you a good idea how much of the field actually had sclerotinia or blackleg or clubroot, for example…

  • Canola can yield better when swathed later

    August 22, 2012

    Delaying swathing while you wait for more plants to mature is generally positive for yield, unless soil moisture is inadequate to fill green seeds, or unless a season ending frost or snow could happen at any day…

  • Swathing timing for hailed out crops

    August 22, 2012

    Swath at the best time for the majority of the plants in the field with the least negative impact possible on the rest — the biggest yield with the least losses. Note that waiting, if the calendar allows, is often positive for yield. If late season hail damages pods, then these pods have a higher potential for shattering as they…

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use. To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy policy
Dismiss
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use. To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy policy
Dismiss