Five Keys to Successful Fall Winter Wheat Establishment Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Article by Matt Laevens Crop Sales Specialist AGRIS Co-operative - Tupperville/Thamesville North Are you ready to maximize your winter wheat establishment? Discover five essential keys to ensure successful planting, from selecting the right seed variety to effective weed control. Get expert insights that can help you achieve higher yields and better crop health this season. Seed/Variety/Treatment Selection Choosing the right wheat seed variety is just as crucial as it is for corn and soybeans. Reliable high-yielding varieties like Blaze and Cruze offer strong plant health characteristics. If you're aiming for high straw yields, consider Swoop; however, it’s recommended to use a Plant Growth Regulator (PGR) to ensure it stands well on productive ground. Looking ahead, Fuze, a new variety for 2025, will have limited seed availability but shows promise with high yields and excellent plant health characteristics. Fall Fertility Maximizing winter wheat yields depends heavily on soil fertility, and wheat is particularly responsive to fall-applied phosphorus. If you don’t have a recent soil test, applying at least the crop removal rate is recommended to maintain fertility levels. Planting Date For most areas in Chatham-Kent, the optimal planting window is between October 5th and 15th. When planting during this period, aim for a seeding rate of 1.6 million seeds per acre. Keep in mind that seed size can vary between varieties, so if you're planting bin-run wheat, it's best to perform a seed count to determine seeds per pound. For planting past the optimal window, increase the seeding rate by 150,000 to 200,000 seeds per acre for each week of delay. Timely planting encourages more fall tillers and improves winter hardiness. Planting Depth Winter wheat planting depth can vary depending on field conditions, but aim for a minimum seeding depth of 1.25 inches. It's essential to seed into moisture for consistent emergence. In heavier soils, if moisture isn’t found deeper than 2.5 to 3 inches, it may be best to seed at the shallow depth of 1.25 inches and wait for rain to ensure successful emergence. Fall Weed Control Research highlights that the critical weed-free period for winter wheat is in the fall. This is the best time to control tough perennial weeds such as dandelion and glyphosate tolerant Canada Fleabane. Depending on your situation, consider a pre-emergence application of Glyphosate and Eragon, or a post-emergence application of Infinity FX. One added benefit of effective fall weed control is the potential to skip a spring herbicide application, which can lead to better crop safety during the T1 timing for wheat and any under-seeded clover cover crops. Related Items Soil Compaction is More Easily Avoided Than Corrected While we are sometimes anxious to get busy in the fields in the spring, performing field operations when soils are too wet can cause big problems with soil compaction – problems that are not easily corrected after the damage is done. Read the full story Nitrogen Management as a System Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for crop growth. Applications of nitrogen fertilizer can substantially increase yield which allows more food to be grown from less acres. Read the full story Burndown Applications: Considerations for a Successful Spring Once the weather breaks this spring and field operations commence, Anhydrous ammonia and dry fertilizer applications are certainly on the priority list. In the rush to catch up with fertility needs, don't forget the importance of timely herbicide applications and the value spring burndown can contribute to managing tough weeds. Read the full story