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By Erika Rolling

Crop Report

Hay thriving from warm weather, flowering crops could stress though

Jul 15, 2024 | 12:00 PM

The latest Alberta Crop Report from AFSC on July 9, says that all major provincial crops conditions were above average for the week of July 2-8.

At the time of the report, the first blast of hot weather was just arriving in Alberta, where the conditions are ideal for haying. The report says significant progress was being made in every area in that aspect.

Tame hay growth conditions slowed, but conditions were 4 per cent poor, 21 per cent fair, 63 per cent good, and 13 per cent excellent at the time of the report.

The Peace Region is fairing slightly better than the rest of the province for all major crops rated good to excellent:

• Spring Wheat – 83.8 per cent compared to 78.4 per cent provincially
• Barley – 83.1 per cent compared to 76. per cent provincially
• Oats – 82.6 per cent compared to 73.9 per cent provincially
• Canola – 66.3 per cent compared to 67.4 per cent provincially
• Dry Peas – 69.1 per cent compared to 77.4 per cent provincially

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A heat warning was placed over the entire province last week, which could have brought stress to flowering crops, as overnight temperatures were not providing the relief they needed from scorching daytime highs of over 30 degrees Celsius.

Sub-surface soil moisture in the report said the Peace is doing better than the five and ten year averages:

• 54.4 per cent good, 5-year-average 41.8 per cent, 10-year-average 40.9 per cent
• 29.5 per cent excellent, 5-year-average 18.5 per cent, 10-year-average 20.4 per cent

The surface soil moisture good-to-excellent ratio for the Peace Region is 84(-5). The sub-surface soil moisture good-to-excellent ratio is 87(-4) for the Peace Region.