The goal of soil testing is to determine levels of plant available nutrients in a particular field in order to create accurate fertilizer recommendations.

It is a common misconception that achieving higher yields is all about choosing the right variety. Wrong, variety is third on the list of factors that have the biggest impact on yield. Ahead of variety are drainage and fertility.

We all strive to have soil test levels for each nutrient at the optimum level so that nutrients are not a yield  limiting factor, however this is a difficult and continuous project.

Micronutrients are just as important for plant growth as the primary and secondary nutrients, but are required in smaller quantities and the amount required varies by crop.  All plants need 8 micro-nutrients to grow: Iron, Copper, Chloride, Boron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Zinc. Of these essential micronutrients, manganese is particularly important for soybeans and wheat.

Corn is king on many farms and because of that, it is often the crop that we get the most questions about. Below are some common questions and answers to help you grow your favourite crop.

We are often asked: Why spread Lime?  The answer is that when soil pH is too acidic, lime is the best way to bring soil pH into optimum range.  Getting pH into optimum range is very important because soil pH regulates the natural nutrient availability in the soil.

Leaf burn caused by top-dressing nitrogen in-season on corn is something we have likely all observed, but is it something we should be worried about? The answer is YES!

We have been dealing with the effects of pesticide resistance in agriculture for many years now. In fact, the first case of herbicide resistance in Ontario dates back 65 years to 1957. While this is certainly not a new problem, resistance management has been thrust back into the spotlight in recent times due to the proliferation of both weed and insect resistance to standard practices.

We have been asked a lot lately about where to cut back on fertilizer due to the high fertilizer prices. Our response is initially: Groceries have gone up too...have you stopped eating? The answer is always “No”. When the grocery prices are high we find ways to be more efficient with food expenses, we can do the same with fertilizer by following these tips to maximize fertilizer dollars. You definitely don’t want to let your plants starve since 60% of crop yield depends on s

Often when we are reviewing soil test results with farmers our recommended actions include variable rate application of fertilizer. Those recommendations often lead to the question: Is variable rate really worth it? We say if your field has variability, yes.