Spring planting in Saskatchewan is virtually complete, with farmers in the province’s east-central, southeast and northeast left with small amounts left to seed according to the June 25 provincial report.
About three per cent of acres will go unplanted due to excessive moisture.
Farmers have moved to spraying, haying and monitoring for pests and diseases.
One per cent of fall and spring cereals, oilseeds, pulses and perrenial forages were ahead of development, Saskatchewan Agriculture reported. The majority of those crops rated as normal. However, notable swaths of crops were behind.
| Crop | Ahead (%) | Normal (%) | Behind (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall cereals | 1 | 85 | 14 |
| Spring cereals | 1 | 65 | 34 |
| Oilseeds | 1 | 54 | 45 |
| Pulses | 1 | 77 | 22 |
| Perennial forages | 1 | 80 | 19 |
| Annual forages | 0 | 74 | 26 |
The province received a significant amount of rain during the week ended June 22. The greatest amount was in the Foam Lake area at 110 millimetres. The precipitation left more than three-quarters of soil moisture levels as adequate.
| Soil | Surplus (%) | Adequate (%) | Short (%) | Very Short (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cropland | 20 | 77 | 3 | 0 |
| Hayland | 15 | 77 | 7 | 2 |
| Pasture | 12 | 78 | 10 | 0 |
Three per cent of seeded acres have flooded and are unlikely to produce a crop. Also, three per cent of forage crops were in the same situation.
As for livestock, 87 per cent of water resources were reported as adequate, with four per cent moderately short and nine per cent expected to become short during the summer.
The primary causes for crop damage during the reporting week were excess moisture, gophers and strong winds. Hail caused minor to moderate damages. Damage by flea beetles was moderate while that by cutworms was minor.
Source - https://www.country-guide.ca
