Planting season delayed weeks by late snow, frost

Postmedia News - April 7

While southern Alberta farmers would normally be getting fields ready by midmonth, the late snow "is a little scary right now," says James Wright, a crop specialist with the provincial government.

Farmers across most of the province started the winter with good moisture in the soil, so more at this point isn't helpful, he added. "There's not a lot of ability for the soil to take anything more," Wright said, pointing out that on a trip to southern Alberta last week "there was still a lot of water laying in the fields. Add on a very good snowfall and it compounds things, because it's so much slower to disappear and the temperatures haven't been helpful with that.....click here to read more.