Too early for broadcast seeding

Don’t rush to broadcast seed. Canola seed placed into the soil at a uniform depth with starter fertilizer and light on-row packing is the best method for seed survival and uniform stand establishment. Drills do this job best. Floaters do not offer this same precise seed placement. And while a floater may be able to travel over soft fields, broadcast seeding also requires double the phosphorus rate and a higher seeding rate for effective results in cold wet soil conditions.

However, growers who think they are still a couple of weeks away from seeding with a drill may want to book a floater as a backup just in case further weather delays make drill seeding impractical.