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Issues Archive
Use the expandable navigational menu on the left hand column to find a specific issue of Canola Watch by year, month and date.
September 24, 2010
Four weeks in swath? Be patient
With crop that’s been in the swath for 3, 4 or 5 weeks and is not drying down, growers are probably best to be patient and wait for better harvest conditions. It is still September and the risk of having to leave the crop to overwinter in the swath is still reasonably low. In most […]
September 21, 2010
Frosted pods shattering
Sept. 21, 2010 — Swath canola hit by heavy frost. Canola that was still fairly green when heavy frost hit this week will desiccate quickly. Pods can start dropping or shattering within days. The photos below show canola pods 24 hours after a minus 7°C frost this week. Pods dry out prematurely, then shatter or […]
September 17, 2010
Check crops today after frost
September 17, 2010 — Did you have frost last night? Growers with standing canola are wondering whether to swath right away. Before making that decision, note the temperature and duration of the frost. If you had a heavy frost… below -2 C Go out early this afternoon and assess the damage. Canola may wilt and […]
September 10, 2010
Frost coming, should growers swath?
With frost forecast for many Prairie regions by Thursday or Friday this week, many growers are wondering whether to swath canola today so the crop has 3 days in the swath to cure before the frost comes. The goal of swathing canola ahead of a potential frost is to get the seed to dry down […]
September 2, 2010
Cut green now, combine in October
Issues of the week: September 9, 2010 — Regular showers and cool temperatures across the Prairies have canola harvest in a holding pattern for most growers. Many are anxious to start swathing canola with no or little seed colour change. Canola with firm but green seeds is usually best left standing, but read below for […]
Crop and weather update:
Peace (B.C. and Alberta): Swathing is done, for the most part, but combining is on hold due to rain. Alberta: Swathing is 30% complete in the south, 50-75% complete as you move toward the Yellowhead Highway and 80% complete north of there. Rain, heavy dew and cool temperatures have slowed harvest progress. Many areas had […]
Quick Hitters:
Sclerotinia stem rot continues to spread through many canola crops. Alternaria has also infected the pods of many hailed crops. Keep watching these crops. When infected areas make up 50% or more of the crop, swathing early may be the best way to salvage the yield in those infected plants. Otherwise diseased plants will shell […]
It’s September 9. Do I cut that green canola?
As the weeks progress, growers get more anxious to swath. Swathing at 50% to 60% seed colour change is still preferred, but by this date some growers don’t want to wait any longer. Here are some scenarios that may help with the decision to go or wait: What’s the forecast? —Warm temperatures. If all seeds […]
September 1, 2010
Tips for swathing lodged crop and green testing
Issues of the week: September 1, 2010 — Growers are anxious to swath late crops, but swathing before 50% to 60% seed colour change on the main stem cuts yield potential and could result in high green counts. We have tips this week on how to test for green counts without starting the combine and […]
Crop and weather update:
Peace (B.C. and Alberta): Most canola in the Peace region is swathed, but after a dry summer, rain now hampers harvest progress. Areas around Ft. Vermilion and La Crete got 2” to 4” in the past week. Cool temperatures have further slowed the drying process. Wind is blowing swaths around, especially since thin stands didn’t […]
Quick Hitters
Many growers are swathing canola too green, giving up yield and quality potential. At 50% to 60% seed colour change on the main stem, seed on side branches should be firm enough to mature. Any seeds that are translucent and mushy when swathed are not mature, which will reduce their contribution to yield and increase […]
How to set a swather for lodged crop
We have lots of lodged canola this year, including some crops so flat you can walk on them. The challenge is how to swath these crops to make combining as fast and easy as possible. Here’s how to set the swather for better results: Extend reel arms so the reel is out front of the […]
Brush up on green-seed counting
With uneven maturity and later canola crops, this will be another year to watch green counts. Here are some tips to follow when testing for green seed: Rather than start up the combine to take a sample, insert a scoop shovel underneath the swath and use your hands to thresh pods near ground level into […]
After light frost, wait a day then assess
Growers often wonder whether to swath right away after a light frost of minus 1°C or minus 2°C for a couple hours. Before doing anything, wait a day or two then assess frost damage. —Light damage may cause some seeds to turn “shoe polish” brown, but pods and most seeds generally remain intact and turgid. […]