Saturated fields may end up unseeded this year: Crop Report

Saturated fields in the Lakeland and northeast region of the province may end up unseeded this year, the latest Alberta Crop Report said on Friday.

With the significant precipitation received in the past week resulting in “wet and soggy” conditions, some areas received up to five inches of rain, after taking field conditions last Tuesday.

These cooler temperatures are slowing plant growth.

Spring wheat soil moisture reserves are moderately high to extremely high compared to the long-term normal in the Lakeland.

However, less than one per cent of 2019 unharvested spring wheat, barley, oats and canola acres remain in the field.

Spring-seeded cereals are in the early seedling stage of the Zadocs growth scale, with most crops being at the twoleaf stage.

Tame hay conditions (pasture shown in brackets) are rated as seven (10) per cent fair, 75 (75) per cent good, and 18 (15) per cent excellent.

Provincially, 75 per cent of the crops have emerged, 12 per cent behind the previous five-year average.

Over 98 per cent of 2020 spring plantings are in the ground.

An extended period of warm, rain-free days would be welcomed to dry out the ground, the report said.