spent fertilizer urea capsules

ESN helps keep single shoot drill out in the field longer

Fertilizer technology allows farmers to make one pass, putting all the 
nitrogen in the seed row at once, and also realizing higher protein values

Dale Wyatt hasn’t become a wholesale convert to ESN fertilizer on his southern Alberta farm, but so far it has allowed him to continue a one-pass direct seeding operation with cereals with his existing single shoot drill, and the controlled release fertilizer has definitely bumped up the protein level in spring wheat. Wyatt, who along […] Read more

ESN nitrogen on a field

Proper nitrogen application for your crop

Researchers and farmers have worried about the 4Rs of fertilizer for decades. The answers are not the same for everyone

In recent years there has been a great deal of hype about the 4Rs when planning fertilizer use: right source, right rate, right time and right placement. The first Grainews column I penned was in October 1976: “Nitrogen — when, what kind and how much to apply.” Back then, phosphorus was seed placed and nitrogen […] Read more


pea plants in stubble

Aphanomyces hurting pea yield for Sask. producer

After repeated aphanomyces problems, Bernie McLean 
is taking a break from growing peas

Bernie McClean usually has a positive outlook on everything. But after three years of dealing with aphanomyces, he’s taking a break from peas. “It’s just too risky. I can’t afford the risk,” says McClean over a cup of coffee at his farm, which sits between Glaslyn and Medstead in northwestern Saskatchewan. Up until two weeks […] Read more

Nodules on a soybean plant.

Why nodulation fails

When nodules don’t form, yield will suffer. 
These recommendations could stop fixation failures

Nodulation failure can be disastrous to crop yields. In some cases, yield may be salvaged. In other cases, it will be too late. Two experts offer recommendations to avoid nitrogen fixation failures. Pre-farm failure Nitrogen fixation failures can occur at three points, says Garry Hnatowich, research director at the Irrigation Crop Diversification Corporation at Outlook, […] Read more


Deep brown colored wheat straw like this can have as much as one
per cent nitrogen and a total of 25 to 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre.

The value of wheat straw

It can be tempting to burn wheat straw, but that nitrogen is valuable

With five irrigation years in a row and with current adequate nitrogen and other fertilizer nutrients we have grown some big wheat crops with big straw left over. In 2014 some folks had problems with proper canola seed placement through the straw load on the surface. We might even hear the odd whisper about looking […] Read more

extracting a soil sample from a field

Fertilizer needs in canola

Without enough nutrients, canola yields suffer. Try these tips for nutrition

Canola production relies heavily on access to adequate plant nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur and potassium. Since the nutritional level of an individual plant will affect its response to stress factors (including adverse weather and disease pressure), poor nutrition could mean the difference between profit and loss. It’s not just about profit, though. A good […] Read more


Ammonium sulphate. (Ind-Svcs.com)

Ammonium sulphate seen tougher to find, afford

CNS Canada — A shortfall in production seems to have made granular ammonium sulphate, the prime fertilizer used by canola growers in Western Canada, relatively scarce just weeks away from seeding. “Last year (it was) $470 a tonne, now it’s $525 a tonne; if you can get it. Those were the words from my supplier,” […] Read more



corn stalks

Higher corn yields through fertility

Fertility recommendations vary from farm to farm, but may be lower for zero-till fields

Prairie farmers are used to being flexible, always on the lookout for new recommendations for fertility applications — and when it comes to growing corn, they have to be. Corn is an expensive crop with high nutritional requirements. And every farmer’s land requires something slightly different. Morgan Cott, field agronomist for Manitoba Corn Growers Association, […] Read more

nitrogen on soybeans

The right amount of nitrogen for soybeans

Between hearing of U.S. farmers adding extra nitrogen, and 
warnings about choosing fields with low nitrogen for soybeans, it’s easy to get confused

Some western Canadian farmers new to soybeans are understandably a little confused about the issue of whether or not they need to add nitrogen fertilizer to achieve better yields, especially if they are sourcing production information from the U.S. Differences in soils types, conditions and crop rotations mean that U.S. information isn’t necessarily applicable to […] Read more