Tag: foliar

Harvest 2020 is right around the corner and the memories of “Hellvest 19” are still a little too raw. While nature’s plans for Harvest 2020 remain to be seen, ensuring an adequate and timely dry down of the crop is crucial for a smooth harvest in any year. Hard water and high pH can reduce […]

With tightening budgets in today’s turf industry, “spoon feeding” fertilizer and nutrients has become commonplace to manage excess turf growth and the associated costs to maintain turf while also helping your business to operate in a more sustainable manner. However, even while scaling back macronutrient application, it is important to make sure your turf has […]

When it comes to spraying foliar fertilizers to aid crop growth, or spraying pesticides to control weeds, diseases, and insects; sprayer operators and farmers pay close attention to various factors affecting product performance. These factors may include the calibration of the equipment, application timing, label instructions and to some extent, the water volume. However, oftentimes […]

Whether it is the result of water quality or the lack of rotation of pesticides on the farm, weeds and diseases are becoming more and more resistant to the active ingredients in pesticides.  Previously, we have examined the effect of water hardness on the efficacy of burn down and desiccation, but water quality can also […]

One of the realities of farming on the Prairies is having to deal with intense and often unpredictable weather, including hail. On average, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta see more severe thunderstorms and hailstorms than any other region in Canada. During peak hail season – the warm months of June through September – Prairie farmers will […]

I’m sure you’ve seen how hard water can leave its mark in and around plumbing fixtures and on clothing, but have you taken the time to consider what it means for your spray solutions? Water across the Prairie provinces varies from moderately hard to very hard. If you are farming on the Prairies, you are, […]

Starter fertilizers get crops off to a great start by providing nutrition that might not otherwise be available due to cold, wet spring seeding conditions. The result is vigorous plants that establish quickly and are better able to compete with weeds, tolerate early-season stresses, pests and diseases. Starters contain a supply of nutrients, strategically placed […]

We are inching closer to the first days of seeding, and anxiety is building as producers across Western Canada continue to wrestle with the decisions that could make or break the growing season. As I write this, the Jets are in the playoffs and, in some areas, yet another foot of snow has arrived along with […]

You know that pre-season burn-off is worth the investment, but if you are not conditioning your spray water first, are you just throwing money away? Most producers in Western Canada are working with hard water from wells and dug-outs. Hard water, which is water with a dissolved mineral content of 100-200+ ppm, usually also has […]

Well-balanced nutrition plays a key role in crop growth and development. There are many micronutrients essential for plant growth including boron, calcium, copper, manganese and zinc. However, deficiencies, biotic and abiotic factors can inhibit a crop’s ability to take in the nutrients it needs. For example, high pH soils, high organic matter soils or light […]