Summer is here, and with much of Alberta and the Canadian Prairies poised to face a difficult drought season, farmers and agriculturists are faced with the task of battling extreme heat and low moisture to mitigate the harm caused to crop yield come fall.
If you’re feeling daunted by the prospect of facing yet another growing season in less-than-ideal conditions, Norstar Agriculture is here to help. With decades of experience behind our team, an extensive soil treatment inventory that contains leading fertilizers like gypsum, humic acid, and more, and trusted soil testing and agronomy support, our team is here to help farmers throughout Alberta maximize their crop yield.
Below, we’ll highlight some of the top benefits of partnering with an agronomist and how soil testing can help you prepare to face (and overcome!) drought conditions. Read on to learn more!
Understanding Soil Health Through Comprehensive Testing
Soil health is the bedrock of any successful growing season, and thoroughly testing the nutrient density of your dirt provides valuable insights into any issues that may need to be addressed. From stripped nutrients to poorly balanced pH levels, organic matter content, soil structure, and more, agronomy services offered by a team like Norstar provide key data points that enable you to tailor your approach to better results before and after planting.
Optimizing Nutrient Management Strategies
Drought conditions can significantly impact viable nutrients for plants, making it necessary to implement strategies to overcome deficiencies. Agronomists are able to assess the nutritional makeup of your soil and devise a dedicated plan to optimize fertilizer application. This allows products like gypsum to have maximum efficacy, which promotes healthy crop growth and mitigates stress caused by droughts on your crop’s yield and quality.
Enhancing Water Retention and Efficiency
Efficient water management is crucial to overcoming drought. Soil testing will point to deficient areas and help agronomists develop water retention and conservation strategies. Tillage, crop covering, and precision irrigation are all effective measures in dry seasons, as is the application of high-water-holding nutrients like gypsum.
Selecting Resilient Crop Varieties
Choosing drought-resistant crop varieties helps save against losses in the event of less than favourable weather conditions. Each region throughout Alberta is best suited for different crops, and during dry seasons it’s even more important to tailor crops to land conditions. By incorporating resilient crop genetics into your planting schemes, farmers can lower yield losses and maintain profitability even in the face of adverse weather conditions.
Harnessing Precision Agriculture Technologies
Precision farming, or the dedicated practice of using technology and data collection to make farming more efficient, empowers agriculturalists to make trusted decisions and removes the ambiguity that can often come with navigating difficult grow seasons. Agronomists look at data to help make educated strategies regarding planting, irrigation, nutrient delivery and more, all with the goal of achieving the strongest, most dependable crop possible.
Your Source for Gypsum, Agronomy and More
At Norstar, we know how important it is to have access to the right tools and knowledge when it comes to overcoming the realities of drought seasons. We’re here to help your farm succeed no matter the weather conditions, and proudly offer high-grade gypsum for your agricultural purposes, as well as access to trained agronomists who can help examine your fields and outline potential factors that will aid in better crops.
Learn more by contacting our team today!
