Early Planting

Horst Bohner spoke at our Grower Meeting last week.  One of the topics he addressed was “early planting”.

Many of the growers I’ve spoken with over the last couple of weeks are thinking of “early planting”.  I hope the following will be helpful in answering some questions.

Horst Bohner, soybean specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, predicted some spring cereals would be planted at the end of the week if the weather stayed dry. Forages and grasses will also be planted as soon as possible, he said, and some peas and sugar beets are already in.

However, adds Bohner, the province’s main cash crops, corn and soybeans, should not be planted in March, regardless of weather conditions that are making Ontario’s spring flowers and shrubbery bloom weeks ahead of normal. 

“There will be just a few acres planted to test equipment but no one should start planting significant acres of corn until mid-April,” he says. “Even if the weather stays warm over the next couple of weeks I don’t know anyone that is comfortable planting significant acres of corn before the middle of April.”

Bohner says soybeans can be planted as early as April 20 in the southwest, but there is no yield advantage to planting too early. He recommends the bulk of soybean planting occur between May 1 and 10 to achieve maximum yields.

Kelley Schroeyers – Beechwood Agri Services