This is our first serious attempt at seeding canola (winter or spring). We have started out with Amanda. With the new ultra slow seed transmission, we have easily accomplished 3 pounds per acre. -----The crop is being seeded on 20" row spacing, using the front gang of openers. The back gang is being locked in the high position with no product being put through them.
-----We have switched the deep band fertilizer tubes with the starter and are adding ≈ 25gpa of water in the area where the seed should be. We are putting down some P in the deep band. We probably should have added B as well.
-----I have yet to find one seed. I wish the seed was dyed yellow. The yellow mustard was not hard to find. We are relying entirely on the opener position and what the electronics are telling us. The seed roll is moving too slow, and the volume to low, to be seen easily with the mounted camera.
-----We are putting the seed at 2.5" depth. The moisture is thinning out on the ridge lines. We're hoping that the added water will help emergence. The lower slopes have better moisture closer to the surface.
-----The residue is tall and heavy. The openers are maintaining depth much better than I was expecting, even though the ADF system is not working properly. Baker Ind. has to work on better reliability of that system. It's getting irritating. The residue is no problem to penetrate. The hydraulic valves for the back gang have to be upgraded. The openers slowly leak down and grab residue and quickly make an unsightly pile. Kye has had very few working openers plug and drag.
-----With only one half of the openers in the ground, much of the stubble is left standing. This should be helpful for winter survival of the winter canola crop.
-----We have divided our seed hopper into two 29bu bins.
-----We are seeding ≈ 30ac of canola (RR), on 20" spacing using the front row of openers. The back row of openers will be seeding a spring pea on 20" rows at ≈ 75 pounds per acre. The intent is to use the legume to produce N for the canola. This, as it turns out, is more complex than I imagined. It's not just growing peas to their maximum nodulation and killing them for later release of the N produced. I'll do more research and make some decisions before the peas reach bloom this fall. Right now we hope to get emergence along with the canola.
-----There will be upgrades to this post.
-----I will write another post on "GROWING NITROGEN" in the near future.
Pic above shows seeding winter canola on winter wheat stubble that was harvested with a stripper header.
