Wheat School: Five planting tips for great winter wheat

It's time to plant winter wheat and we've asked Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson to give us his top five planting recommendations on this episode of the RealAgriculture Wheat School.
Planting date is at the top of Johnson's tip list. When is comes to planting date there are no shortcuts, he says. Hitting that optimum window is essential for the highest yield potential. Increasing population at later planting dates is a recommended strategy, but growers can never match the opportunity the optimum window provides. Check out the planting date map at gocrops.ca for optimum dates.
Number 2 on Johnson's list is starter fertilizer: It's especially critical on lower testing soils (less than 15 ppm Olsen test) and on clay soils. In his research, the critical P soil test on truly heavy clay is significantly higher than on loams or sands. "Even at soil test levels as high as 35 ppm, we still saw large yield increases to starter fertilizer on heavy clay," he notes. "Banding is always best, it takes 4X the amount broadcast to get about 80 percent of the yield gain of seed placed, and our data says broadcast will not equal banded on clay."
Seed rate is number 3. Johnson says: "Match your seeding rate to your planting date - on clay start at 1.2 million seeds per acre if you are 10 days prior to the optimum window, 1.8 million in the optimum window, and 2.4 million if you are 10 days late."
Fall weed control checks in at number 4 on Johnson's list. Whether growers burn down or use an in-crop fall herbicide, fall weed control is almost the only time weed control increases yield in winter wheat. Spring applications are for harvest ease only, notes Johnson.
Last on the list is seeding depth. "This is most critical on clay soils, as shallow planting makes you more prone to frost heave," says Johnson. "Aim for 1 to 1.5 inches. However, if the dry weather forecast is true and holds, you may have to go deeper to find moisture. On heavy clay soil, some falls we have had to seed wheat 3 inches deep to find moisture. But into moisture is a win, even at 3 inches deep, unless it rains within the first few days after you plant. Only go deep if it is dry."
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