Harvest tips for short and lodged crop

Lots of crop is short this year, and with heavy rains in spots last week, some of that short crop is now lodged. As noted in Canola Watch the previous two weeks, swathing is preferred over straight cutting for short crop — even when lodged.

Here’s a recap of tips for swathing short lodged crop:

—Swath parallel to the typical prevailing winds in the area.
—Cut plants as high as possible, just below the lowest pod. That will provide the highest stubble possible to keep the windrow in place.
—Use a properly-adjusted swath roller to push down the swath so the edges are nestled into the stubble. Because the swath will be on or close to the ground, curing and/or dry down time may take longer.