volunteer canola

Tips for wild oat and volunteer canola control

Agronomy tips... from the field

Wild oats and volunteer canola are two prevalent weeds that need to be controlled each year. When selecting your wild oat herbicide, be aware of the chemistry groups that you are using throughout your crop rotation. Group 2 herbicides have become a popular choice for wild oat control, but be careful that you’re not overusing […] Read more

dandelions

Using wild edibles on our farm

Plants that are often regarded as ‘weeds’ can actually be beneficial

A few years ago we started to learn how to use more herbs and “weeds” around the farm. The one that totally surprised our family was purslane (Portulaca oleracea), or as we call it, wild portulaca. It is very invasive, so if left to grow it needs boundaries with border edging. It’s worth keeping around […] Read more


This is a narrow-leaved hawk’s beard. While the leaves are slightly lobed, they are narrow.

Narrow-leaved hawk’s beard travelling

This noxious weed is spreading outside of northwest Sask. 
and the Alta. border

Up until recently, narrow-leaved hawk’s beard was mostly found in northwest Saskatchewan and along the Alberta border. A 2014-15 weed survey has revealed that the weed has spread to areas outside of these traditional hotspots. Identification and control can both be difficult. For this reason, it is advised that growers — especially those who live in non-traditional hotspots — take […] Read more

Kochia not confirmed ‘triple resistant’ — yet

Kochia not confirmed ‘triple resistant’ — yet

Producers should take action against kochia based on threat severity

Triple-resistant” kochia — kochia resistant to herbicides in Groups 2, 4 and 9 — hasn’t yet been confirmed in Alberta despite recent media reports, says Hugh Beckie, a weed scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Surveys have turned up two-way resistant kochia, specifically Group 2 plus Group 4, and Group 2 plus Group 9 resistant weeds, but […] Read more


Swathing this perennial rye grass left deep ruts in a wet field.

Coping with all those wet spring soils

After last fall’s moisture, spring seeding is going to require patience and flexibility

Patience is a virtue, but it’s not an easy one to practice, especially when it involves waiting for saturated fields to dry up so you can get out and seed this year’s crop. Last fall left many Prairie fields already saturated thanks to late fall rains and early snowfalls, and after a winter with heavy […] Read more



Conquering wild oats in your fields

Conquering wild oats in your fields

Tight rotations and resistant plants mean wild oats are prevalent on the Prairies

We spend more money trying to manage wild oat in Western Canada than any other weed, says Dr. Neil Harker, a weed ecology and crop management scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “It’s a driver weed.” Here’s a bit of a refresher on wild oat, what’s new with research, and what you need to know […] Read more

A crop of field peas in saskatchewan

Winning the war on pea problems

Weeds, disease and pests will all steal yield from less-competitive pea crops

Disease and pests pose a big risk for growers. A little planning can go a long way to limiting the damage. Peas are somewhat less competitive than some other crops like barley, canola or wheat because their canopy is open a bit longer, so weeds get a better start,” said Dr. Neil Harker, research scientist, […] Read more


Soybeans

On the farm: the 2016 crop year in review

Every year is different on Kevin Elmy's farm. This year: cover crops, soybeans and rain

The good thing about farming is two years are rarely alike. 2016 started out a bit on the dry side, with close to ideal subsoil moisture. The occasional May shower did not delay seeding much. About 20 per cent of our acres were seeded in the fall of 2015 to Luoma winter triticale, which helped reduce the spring […] Read more

Cleavers can be tricky because they are both a spring and winter annual.

Timing is key to whipping weeds

It’s easiest to kill weeds when they’re actively growing. Make sure you know when that is

Whether you’re telling a joke or treating a weed, timing is critical. And as anyone who has failed at weed control will confirm, it’s no laughing matter. Once you let weeds gain a foothold they can soon get out of hand, so it’s crucial to identify the life cycle of the weeds in your field […] Read more