Seeding window still open for corn and sunflowers

Manitoba farmers are eager to start seeding.

Morgan Cott is a Agronomy Extension Specialist with the Manitoba Crop Alliance.

"Corn would definitely be going into the ground right now, just because we'd probably be already into seeding at least two maybe three weeks on a normal year. Right now would be a typical time to be starting in the [Red River] Valley," she said. "We're not quite as in bad shape as I think most people might expect. Just because once we do get on the ground, corn's probably going to be one of the first things to go in because it needs such a long season. As long as the ground is warm it should pop up pretty quickly and typically if we aren't planting until the first week of May or even if it's earlier in some cases, the ground's not quite warm enough anyway, so it takes three weeks to emerge and sometimes even germinate."

Cott also commented on sunflowers.

"We're still okay for sunflowers. They tend to get planted a little bit later. It just depends where they fall in a producer's line-up with the rush that they're going to be in this year. You want to get them in reasonably early."

Cott says root rot and seedling diseases could be an issue this year in some areas due to the damp conditions.