Seeding has started a few days later than normal in the southwest, but field work is becoming more common as the end of April approaches.

“Some producers are going around Maple Creek,” said Shannon Chant, crops extension specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture in Swift Current. “Just north of Swift Current, I saw a seeder pull into the field this morning (Tuesday)”

Kevin Hursh was seeding maple peas on Monday afternoon in the Cabri area, about 60 kilometres northwest of Swift Current.

“There is really good surface moisture. In fact, it is probably a little wetter than it should be for ideal conditions, but in this country it can go from wet to dry pretty quickly.”

Hursh notes that it is a little later start than usual. Some farmers are doing pre-seeding weed control, but in this particular field, spraying will come after seeding.

“There is not a lot of weed growth. This first field that we are seeding we are going to spray with it a burnoff after seeding. I don’t typically like to do that but I wanted to get started (seeding),” he said.

Hursh has noticed some winter annual weeds—flixweed and stinkweed.