What to work unharvested canola down with in the spring

**SASKFARMER** · Oct 28, 2019, 08:16

It burns like a dream.

****ing weather this year.

**furrowtickler** · Oct 28, 2019, 08:18

Originally posted by poorboy View Post

Like others I have some unharvested canola that I may have to work down in the spring. I have no tillage equipment at all. A paralink drill to seed with and a Brandt heavy harrow.

Looking at options for dealing with the straw in the spring, should it be necessary. Will give me all winter to possibly buy or line up something to rent, should it be needed.

Will 2 passes with a heavy harrow break up 50 bushel invigor canola crop next spring, or just roll up piles? Is vertical tillage the answer, or does it need a heavy double disc? Looking at the price of the degelman pro tills, they are an expensive machine. Will some of the cheaper units work well? I have heavy clay soil and demoed a farmet machine one fall to fill in sprayer ruts and the rear basket just filled with mud. Still seemed to work though.

Can't burn the straw here. Hoping it can be harvested next year, but preparing for the worst.

Just run it through combine regardless of what happens to seed. Nothing will work well at all other than burning or through combine
Best of luck , hopefully you have a chance yet

**ajl** · Oct 28, 2019, 09:02

Over wintered canola now 3 of the last four years. Lots of canola still out around here east of Edmonton. It will combine in the spring. Seen it done both swathed and straight cut in the spring. Biggest problem is that there is more to do in spring when the season is already too short. Last spring my biggest combining day was April 30.

**Oliver88** · Oct 28, 2019, 09:20

The last few springs Iâ€™ve talked to people who have combined in spring with better than expected results.

I would combine it especially if itâ€™s a 50bpa crop.

**macdon02** · Oct 28, 2019, 09:34

There's always a market for spring thrashed. Might not be an elevator but it isn't a problem getting rid of it. Picture Butte will buy 100% heated.

**tweety** · Oct 28, 2019, 09:36

Originally posted by poorboy View Post

Like others I have some unharvested canola that I may have to work down in the spring. I have no tillage equipment at all. A paralink drill to seed with and a Brandt heavy harrow.

Looking at options for dealing with the straw in the spring, should it be necessary. Will give me all winter to possibly buy or line up something to rent, should it be needed.

Will 2 passes with a heavy harrow break up 50 bushel invigor canola crop next spring, or just roll up piles? Is vertical tillage the answer, or does it need a heavy double disc? Looking at the price of the degelman pro tills, they are an expensive machine. Will some of the cheaper units work well? I have heavy clay soil and demoed a farmet machine one fall to fill in sprayer ruts and the rear basket just filled with mud. Still seemed to work though.

Can't burn the straw here. Hoping it can be harvested next year, but preparing for the worst.

Don't give up so fast! You might be combining it at Christmas - or before that. It aint over, just grab it in the spring and cash the cheque. Next year when it happens again, you'll go, oh ya, no problem - we'll just get it when we get it.

Besides, a 50 bushel seeding rate will cause a lot of problems for years.

**ABfarm** · Oct 28, 2019, 11:37

Combine it in the spring - You will lose 10 bushels probably but it will turn out better then you expect. 3 years ago I had most go as a #3 and even got #1 for 2 tandem loads. It turns a weird grey color. I have 320 acres in swaths too. It is an awful feeling but trust me, it is better in a swath then it is at 14 moisture in your bin rotting (lost one bin 3 years ago) or having an expensive breakdown trying to get it off.

**poorboy** · Oct 28, 2019, 14:09

It is standing sort of and I thought it might all be shelled out in the spring and totally flat. Didnâ€™t want to wreck a combine just to process straw.

If there is seed left in it then I will combine. I am more optimistic after reading about a few success stories.

Hopefully nice weather returns yet this fall.

**woodland** · Oct 28, 2019, 17:16

Disc drills can seed right through heavy uncombined canola on our heavy clay which our neighbours have done more than once. My buddy combined canola swathes into July when the field was too wet to get on in the spring and had #2 and #3 with about 20 bu/ac. It was ugly gray looking and we bought a screener together to take the deer turds out and it went to the elevator. You might be surprised what it ends up being.

What to work unharvested canola down with in the spring