Eastern Ontario
Corn
• Corn maturity a few days ahead of normal by Aug. 3.
• 80 mm of rain fell in July. Total precipitation from May 1st to the end of July was 300 mm – or 50 mm more than average.
• The region accumulated 1,900 CHUs from May 1st to July 31st – 50 CHUs more than normal.
Soybeans
• Bulk of the crop was at R3 to R4 growth stage (pod development), excellent pod set.
• Soybean aphids main concern. Aphid population roughly doubling every 5 days.
• Most untreated fields were in 2,000 to 3,000 aphids per plant range, significantly above control threshold.
Forages
• Second-cut yields were excellent, as was quality.
• Great 1st and 2nd cut yields built up stored inventories giving opportunity to rotate older stands out of alfalfa.
• Pastures should be clipped if perennial weeds present or forages matured, preventing weed seed set and stimulating forage growth.
Cereals
• In winter wheat, lodging was an issue for some.
• Yields were significantly above average and good quality.
• In spring wheat, some fusarium head blight was visible during grain fill, pointing to the need to harvest early to help maintain grain quality.
Renfrew County
Corn
• Corn crop was variable.
• There were some good fields, mainly on lighter soils, with others having a real struggle.
• Damp planting conditions, a lot of cool nights, and later dry conditions caused many uneven stands with low areas yet to tassel as of Aug 3rd.
Soybeans
• Bean crop was faring better than corn.
• Flowering was completed on first planted beans with good pod fill.
• Aphids were not an issue.
• The crop looked good.
Forages
• An excess of hay in the area this year with not much of a demand for it.
Cereals
• Most of the winter wheat was harvested with above-average yields and quality.
• Spring wheat was also doing well, with early plantings less than a week from harvest by Aug. 3.
Northumberland, Hastings and Prince Edward Counties
Corn
• Bulk of the corn crop was fully pollinated, had good colour and looked OK overall.
• A little unevenness in height in some fields.
• Fungicide was applied on a fair bit of the crop.
Soybeans
• Beans were looking pretty good by Aug. 3.
• The most advanced fields were at the R-4 stage.
• Aphids and insect pests not an issue.
• Dry conditions were starting to show on the lighter soils and field knolls.
Forages
• Some dairy farmers expect to take off corn silage by month’s end.
• Growers were well into taking second-cut hay.
• Yields were a little lower than expected.
• Quality was average.
Cereals
• Winter wheat harvest well under way.
• Some very good yields and happy wheat growers – lots of yields at 100-bushels-plus with excellent quality and no issues on grading.
• Spring wheat and spring cereals looked good, on track to be ready by month’s end.
East-Central Ontario
Corn
• Any fields planted before May 24 weekend looked good but earlier planted corn appeared to be 5 days behind normal.
• Later planted fields looked to have stalled out.
Soybeans
• Later planted soybeans also appeared to be stalled out if planted after May 24.
• As with corn, the plants looked healthy, but weren’t advancing as fast as those planted a week earlier.
Forages
• Second-cut hay was wrapping up late last month with good yields on the fields cut early and poorer yields on fields cut a little later.
Cereals
• Fall wheat harvest was in full swing late last month.
• Harvest moistures were higher than dry, but yield was about 15% above average.
• Quality was excellent.
• Spring grain harvest was about 10 days away (as of Aug. 3) and crop looked to be average to above average.
