Winter wheat planning

Which field is suitable for winter wheat? (crop rotation, soil condition, etc.)

Winter wheat can be seeded into early harvested crops, such as canola, silage or pea stubble. Canola is a popular stubble crop for winter wheat. It provides good weed sanitation and adequate stubble. Pulse stubbles provide additional nitrogen but generally less snow trapping.

It is recommended to direct seed winter wheat into stubble, so the stubble can trap snow, providing the crucial insulation for winter survival.

More general winter wheat planning here.

What is the optimum time to plant winter wheat?

The optimum stage for winter wheat to survive winter is when they have at least three leaves and develop a crown. To make that happen, the ideal winter wheat seeding time is:

• Southern Alberta: the first two weeks of September

• Central Alberta: the last week of August to the first week of September

Which varieties are available?

To find the variety best suited in your region, check Alberta Seed Guide and Winter Wheat Variety Selection Guide. Besides yield, pay attention to other traits such as winter hardiness, disease resistance, lodging resistance etc. Selecting a variety best suited to local conditions sets you up for outyielding spring wheat by 15-40%.

What are the benefits of winter wheat

Winter wheat yields up to 20% more than spring wheat, depending on growing conditions. Winter wheat is harvested several weeks before spring wheat. It helps to spread out the workload. Winter wheat takes advantage of spring moisture. It is especially beneficial in dry springs like 2023.

What are the best management practices for winter wheat seeding?

The most critical factors that set the stage for a successful winter wheat crop are to:

• Seed early

• Seed heavy: seed 45 live seeds/ft2 to reach the target plant stand of 30-35 plants/ft2 after winterkill

• Seed shallow: 0.5 to 1 inch (do not exceed 1 inch)

• Seed slowly: seeder speed around 4 mph

• Use a seed treatment

Find more details on winter wheat seeding here.

Fertilizer planning

Phosphate placed with or near the seed increases winter hardiness. A rate of 20 to 25 lb/ac phosphate placed with the seed is usually adequate.

For nitrogen, it is recommended to apply 40-70% of the nitrogen requirements at the time of seeding. Do note that the safe seed-placed rate of nitrogen is 30 lb N/ac using urea. Consider binding and/or using an enhanced efficiency fertilizer when the nitrogen rate exceeds that.

Using enhanced efficiency fertilizers for your winter wheat? Learn more about the strategy here.

For more information on winter wheat fertilizer planning, see this factsheet.