Eastern Ontario
Corn
• From May 1 – Sept. 25: 3100 CHUs (50 over average)
• Precipitation May 1 – Sept. 25: average 450 mm.
• Corn maturity roughly a week behind normal.
• Yields expected to be above average.
• Killing frost (stalks and leaves) at 1/2 kernel milk line reduces yields by 10%.
Soybeans
• Maturity about 1 week behind normal.
• Start of the harvest season delayed by rain.
• Overall yield estimates slightly above average.
• Reports of soybean cyst nematodes (SCN) increase.
• Ideal time to sample for SCN is after soybean harvest and before soil freezes.
Forages
• Fourth-cut alfalfa harvest progressed slowly between rains.
• Given the large store of forage inventory this year, many growers planned to leave their 4th and/or 5th cut on the field.
• Best to rotate older stands out of alfalfa, due to higher risk of winterkill.
Cereals
• Winter wheat seeding delayed by lack of available land to seed, the result of delayed soybean harvest.
• The optimum seeding date for our area falls in the last 2 weeks of September. If seeding after optimum date, increase seeding rate by 200,000 seeds/acre for each week delay, to a maximum of 2.2 million seeds/acre.
Renfrew County
Corn
• Crop uneven in height, cob, size and maturity by Sept. 28.
• In most fields, husks were drying on a green stalk with maturity ranging from 3/4 milk line to brown layer.
• Some corn silage was off but delayed by wet field conditions and frequent showers.
Soybeans
• Most of the soybean crop reached maturity.
• Pods filled well.
• Combining limited to very early varieties with good yields reported.
Forages
• Good regrowth with bright green colour on alfalfa and grass hay fields going into the fall season.
• Most farms took off more than adequate amounts of hay this year.
Cereals
• First-planted winter wheat had a good start with lots of moisture.
Northumberland, Hastings and Prince Edward Counties
Corn
• Crop reached fully dented stage by Sept. 28, with black layer stage and harvest yet to come.
• Dry weather earlier in the season may affect yield.
• Cobs look decent.
Soybeans
• Soybean harvest began by final week of September but wet weather slowed or outright delayed harvest.
• Early reports pointed to yields of 1 to 1.25 tonnes per acre.
• Spider mite damage evident in some small pockets within fields.
Forages
• Hay and alfalfa fields were in the resting phase and getting fertilizer top-dressing.
• The corn silage crop was 75% taken off and looked decent.
Cereals
• Less than half of the winter wheat appeared to be planted by Sept. 29 but still plenty of time.
• Delayed soybean harvest was delaying the planting of winter wheat.
• Winter wheat that made it into the ground early was showing great emergence.
East-Central Ontario
Corn
• Silage corn: good quality and moisture levels, but lower tonnage than normal.
• By Sept. 28: Grain corn anywhere from ¾ milk line to starting to brown layer.
Soybeans
• Soybeans yields are running about 10% less than average, but still better than expectations.
• Yields are area-related but across the board about 10% below average.
Most soybeans are a week to 10 days later than normal, including the early beans.
Forages
• Hay and pasture fields have had excellent regrowth for going into dormancy.
Cereals
• Some fall wheat and winter barley have been planted.
