Manitoba Planting Nearing Half Finished

May 23, 2024

Manitoba planting is now nearing halfway complete, but still slightly behind the five-year average pace. 

Tuesday’s crop report pegged planting across the province at 47% done, up 17 points from the previous week. That is comfortably ahead of 25% last year but trails the average by 5 points. 

Producers are planting a variety of crops based on soil and weather conditions, the report said, adding that soil temperatures are adequately warm and the seeding of more sensitive crop types such as soybeans has begun. 

Spring wheat and barley are sitting at 77% complete across the province with the Central region being the most advanced at 85% complete. Early planted fields are in the 3 to 4 leaf stage. Canola and sunflower planting are at 20% and 26% complete across the province, with soybeans at 34% done. Peas are more advanced at 90% done, although less than half of the peas have been seeded in the Interlake region due to wet conditions. 

Warmer temperatures and recent precipitation have benefited hay and pastures, the report said, adding grasses and forages have noticeable growth. 

Nearly all creeks, streams, dugouts, and sloughs in the province have refilled. For the most part cattle are still being fed close to their winter-feeding area or on a holding / sacrificial pasture until turned out. Producers are checking their fences and carrying out necessary maintenance work ahead of the grazing season. 

Southwest: 

Rainfall on Monday brought a significant pause to seeding activities in the early parts of the week. Brandon and its surrounding areas received 10-15mm of rain, with much of this precipitation occurring in the northern parts of the region. Southern areas such as Souris, Deloraine, and Melita received only 2-4mm of rain, allowing producers in these regions to proceed with seeding.  

Throughout the past week, daytime temperatures ranged from 15 to 20 degrees C. Overall seeding progress in the region is about 45-50% complete. Some producers are slightly ahead depending on their field conditions. Cereal seeding is estimated to be 70 to 80% complete, soybeans are at 30-40% and pea seeding is 80-90% complete. Canola seeding has also begun in certain areas, with 5-10% complete. Grain corn is 60% completed. Soybeans have been planted, as indicated by the presence of land rollers in the fields. Sunflower planting is expected to commence for most growers this week. Most wheat, barley, and oat crops have been seeded, and cereals are beginning to emerge, while peas have already emerged. 

Northwest  

Mixed weather this week brought slower progress across the region. Scattered showers were enough to stop some seeding however access to some fields was still possible. There were some reports of hail in localized areas, along with precipitation. Highest accumulated precipitation amounts were in Reedy Creek and The Pas with 67 and 59mm, respectively.  

Overall seeding progress in the region is about 40-45% complete. Field pea seeding continues with progress approximately 90% complete. Earliest seeded field peas are emerging. Spring wheat seeding continues and is approximately 75% complete. Earliest seeded wheat has emerged and is growing nicely. Barley and oat seeding is approximately 30% complete. Canola seeding is 25% and soybean is 15% complete. 

Central 

The past week had several rainfall events, with some being accompanied by lightning and high winds. A particularly notable storm passed through the RMs of Morris and Montcalm on Thursday night generating weather warnings. These rain events left soils too wet to access fields for field operations for several days. Seeding has progressed with spring wheat, barley, and oats at 90% complete. Many of the early seeded cereals are at the three to four leaf stage. Field peas are at 98%, soybeans at 40% and canola at 30% complete, with some of the earliest planted canola at the cotyledon stage. Sunflower seeding progress is at 35%, and corn at 70% complete.  

The proportion of each crop seeded varies greatly at the local level across the region, with percentage of crops in the ground generally lower in the north of the Central region, and higher in the south. 

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