Weyburn farmers are the last in the province to finish seeding this spring, but it's an enviable position to be in.

Extension agrologist Elaine Moats says the Weyburn area is least advanced at 95 per cent complete because of welcome moisture that has delayed seeding operations.

"If you look at rainfall maps, we're one of the highest rainfall areas. We've been very fortunate that most areas have recieved one-quarter of an inch to half an inch of rain in the last few weeks," she said.

Sask. Ag and Food's weekly crop report shows seeding is 99 per cent complete on average across the province, compared to 95 per cent last week and 87 per cent for the five-year average.

With the exception of the flax crop, all crops are at least 95 per cent planted. In the southern grainbelt, 55 per cent of the spring cereals are emerging, 44 per cent of flax crops are popping up, 43 per cent of the canola crop is emerging, and 59 per cent of pulse crops are emerging.

Frost was a concern for all areas of the grainbelt in the past week, but did the most damage in the drier parts of the province, including the west central and northwestern areas.

Strong winds died down in the past week, although there continued to be some erosion and soil damage across the grainbelt. Wind and frost damage has caused reseeding of canola in the southeast and southwest, and some crop in the southeast has been lost to flooding.

Cool weather has slowed the growth of early-seeded crops in the Weyburn area, but has provided the perfect growing conditions for wild oats, which germinate under cool and moist conditions. Farmers are spraying for grassy weeds like wild oats and millet, and broadleaf weeks like dandilions, wild mustard, stinkweed and dock.

Insects making a nuisance of themselves in the Weyburn area include flea beatles, with a widespread population infecting most mustard and canola fields, and some pockets of grasshoppers beginning to hatch.

Grasshoppers, cutworms and flea beetles have been found in southwestern fields, and gophers continue to be a nuisance in the west. Geese are feeding on crops in the Assiniboia area.

Moats says hay and pasture land conditions are drier in the Weyburn area this year than producers would ideally like them.

"I expect that haying season will start early this year," said Moats. "Hayland moisture conditions are quite dry, putting pressure on the hay crop to mature more quickly, so it's heading out short. Producers may want to cut hay at the stage it's in rather than wait. They may get a decent second cut."