Growing Canola

Canola is an easy crop to manage with machinery and products that most small-grain farmers already have.  Below are management practices for canola.

Cropping Patterns
Based on our experiences, replacing fallow in typical Michigan cropping systems with canola is an effective strategy for increasing field utility without sacrificing all of the benefits from fallow such as breaking pest and disease cycles, and protecting the soil from erosion.   Below are some examples of fallow replacement strategies.

Existing Cropping Rotation
Proposed Crop Rotation
Wheat – Corn – Fallow
Wheat – Corn – Canola
Wheat – Corn – Soybean – Fallow
Wheat – Corn – Soybean – Canola


Stand Establishment
Stand establishment is very important in order to get optimum yield.   The following points should be kept in mind to get good stand establishment:
  • Use good quality seed
  • Use recommended seed rate
  • Plant at proper time and with adequate soil moisture content
  • Plant in the proper soil type
  • Use fertilizer, herbicide, and insecticide correctly
  • Harvest at proper time and with proper equipment