The delayed start to the growing season might have some farmers considering broadcast seeding their canola.

"Whether this is a good idea is anyone's guess, but it has the potential to work out well," says Angela Brackenreed, agronomy specialist for Manitoba with the Canola Council of Canada.

She says there are several points producers should consider before broadcast seeding.

"When you broadcast phosphate, it's about 50 percent less efficient than when placed with the seed, so you may want to consider bumping up that rate," says Brackenreed. "You may also want to increase your seeding rate as your survivability could certainly be worse."

A key to getting a good crop out of a broadcast-seeded field is making sure there's good seed-to-soil contact, she explains.

"Working the ground a little prior to broadcasting and incorporating it afterward is likely your best bet," she says.

Brackenreed notes 50 percent of the canola acres in Manitoba last year were seeded after May 21st.

"We ended up averaging over 40 bushels per acre, so it's certainly too soon to be writing this crop off," she says.