Spring Planting Ahead of Average in Manitoba and Nearing Completion

Manitoba Agriculture reports spring seeding is now 95 percent complete and many farmers will be wrapping up over the next week.Manitoba Agriculture released its weekly crop report Tuesday.Ann Kirk, a cereal crops specialist with Manitoba Agriculture says over the past week there was minimal precipitation with isolated rainfall events in the eastern region but the wettest location had just under five millimeters of rain and everywhere else saw either trace amounts or zero rainfall.

Quote-Ann Kirk-Manitoba Agriculture:

Seeding progress right now is listed at 95 percent complete.That's ahead of the five-year average which we have at 85 percent complete for this time.We do see that many crops are full in the ground.Spring cereals, we're assuming that they are complete or very close to complete throughout the province, sileage corn and grain corn also listed as complete.

For canola we estimate about 90 percent complete across the province and flax at about 75 percent complete.Soybeans we're estimating at 93 percent complete and dry beans at about 90 percent.The remaining crops are mostly canola and soybeans at this point and some dry beans.In terms of weed growth, it has been fairly slow in many parts of the province because we have had such dry weather.

Areas of that did receive rainfall on Monday would expect to see enhanced weed growth just because that little bit of moisture will stimulate some weed activity.There has been some spraying in corn, soybeans and some early seeded cereals for weeds so we expect herbicide applications will become more widespread this week.

For canola we are seeing some flea beetle damage in some parts of the province and there has been some insecticides for control but in many areas the canola is either able to grow through that stage fairly quickly or those seed treatments have been working fairly well.

Kirk anticipates further progress over the next week, especially finishing up crops like canola, soybeans and flax.She notes a lot of crops are approaching the right stage for herbicide application but we've had some fairly windy days so if the wind calms down, we'll see some herbicide applications as well.