West-Central Saskatchewan

Crop Districts 6B – Hanley, Outlook, Loreburn, Saskatoon and Arelee areas;
Crop District 7A – Rosetown, Kindersley, Eston, Major;
Crop District 7B - Kerrobert, Macklin, Wilkie and Biggar areas

For the Period May 15 to 21, 2018

Significant seeding progress was made this week in the region thanks to good field conditions. Sixty-six per cent of the crop is now in the ground, significantly up from just 26 per cent last week and ahead of the five-year (2013-2017) seeding average of 59 per cent for this time of year. Some producers have finished seeding while others will need another week or two of good weather.   

Some areas received moisture that will help crops germinate and pastures develop. Reported rainfall ranges from trace amounts to 28 mm in the Biggar area. The Outlook area reported 10 mm, the Broderick area 5 mm, the Smiley area one mm, the Sonningdale area 11 mm, the Macklin area 13 mm and 26 mm in the Harris and Perdue areas. The Harris area has received the most precipitation (49 mm) in both the region and province since April 1. 

Even with the welcomed moisture, topsoil moisture conditions have slightly worsened.

Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 70 per cent adequate and 30 per cent short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 46 per cent adequate, 51 per cent short and three per cent very short.

The majority of crops are either at or behind their normal developmental stages for this time of year. Most crop damage this past week was due to lack of moisture and strong winds. With the drying topsoil and lack of rainfall, some producers have delayed the seeding of smaller seeded crops such as canola.

Additional rainfall would be beneficial to pastures and hay land in the region as growth has been limited. Pasture conditions are rated as 30 per cent good, 46 per cent fair, 15 per cent poor and nine per cent very poor. 

Farmers are busy seeding, rolling pulse crops, moving cattle and controlling weeds if necessary.