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Chesley, Ontario | Canola is a cool season crop, so in Ontario it is generally grown in the part of the province where soybeans won't mature reliably. If you can grow 50 bushel soys, then it is too warm for canola and it won't pencil out. The exception is winter canola, which has a fit as a rotational crop on either really sandy ground or on clay. Spring canola should be in the ground as soon in the spring as you can get it there - frost drilling works well. Winter canola should be planted in the last part of August so it gets a good root established before winter. Most canola is planted into worked ground simply because of slugs. The emerging plants are tiny, so slugs will wipe out a stand instead of just making it look awful like they do in corn or beans. Use an insecticide seed treatment to control flea beetles, and scout until you get a couple of true leaves to make sure it is still doing the job. An insecticide spray might be necessary.
Fertility is like spring wheat for N-P-K, and depending where you are you might need to apply sulphur as well.
Weed control was a real headache until RR canola came along.
Bottom line - it has a fit, but not everywhere. | |
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canola or rape seed
