Weather: After a very wet November, many areas now look set to meet or exceed their 30-year average rainfall.
Some southern stations are already above their 30-year averages but some areas around the centre of the country lag behind.
But for most, 2018 is no longer a dry year and yet it will be remembered as such because of the prolonged dry summer.
The fact that land soaked up much of the November rainfall allowed field work to continue up to recently.
Temperature levels and wet conditions would suggest that aphids should no longer be a threat for BYDV.
Numbers sampled at Oak Park have been relatively low all winter and they remain low, with only one fifth of the numbers counted being grain aphids.
But, interestingly, there were still a few winged aphids being caught.
Soil testing: The importance of soil testing cannot be over-emphasised. Accurate test results are a bit like the keys you have to your vehicles and stores – they help provide access to your resources.
A soil test is only valid for four years and an inspector will access the area that pertains to an older test as defaulting to Index 3 fertility levels, which means maintenance P or K levels only. This is okay if you are high Index 3 or Index 4, but if you are Index 1 or 2 it prevents you from applying essential build-up levels of these nutrients.
A soil test must be provided for every 5ha of land farmed.
That’s 20 test results for 100ha.
Test areas of known crop growth variability, as test result variability can be very local as it can be heavily influenced by soil texture.
Get soil samples taken and tested as soon as possible for spring crops or even winter crops where no form of fertiliser has yet been applied.
Lime remains the most critical input, so treat this as a priority. If soil pH is low you get less benefit from expensive applied fertiliser and pH can be tackled in a growing crop using a granular lime.
Dates for your diary: The CAFRE/UAS/UFU arable conference ‘What’s around the corner’ takes place in Greenmount College on Tuesday 15 January 2019. Topics include: Farming for the Public Good, the Future of Fungicides, Financing Machinery, Robotics and the Environment. Throw-in is at 9.30am and the conference fee of £25 includes lunch and tea. Booking should be done online at www.ufuni.org/events by 10 January.
The Teagasc National Tillage Conference takes place on 30 January in the Lyrath Hotel in Kilkenny.
Keep an eye out: As well as keeping an occasional eye on your crops, watch out for your neighbours too. This can be a tough time of year and a simple hello can be worth its weight in gold. And, most of all, stay safe and take care over the holiday period.
Happy Christmas: With Christmas Day just around the corner I would like to wish all my readers a very happy, safe and peaceful Christmas - Andy.
Weather: After a very wet November, many areas now look set to meet or exceed their 30-year average rainfall.
Some southern stations are already above their 30-year averages but some areas around the centre of the country lag behind.
But for most, 2018 is no longer a dry year and yet it will be remembered as such because of the prolonged dry summer.
The fact that land soaked up much of the November rainfall allowed field work to continue up to recently.
Temperature levels and wet conditions would suggest that aphids should no longer be a threat for BYDV.
Numbers sampled at Oak Park have been relatively low all winter and they remain low, with only one fifth of the numbers counted being grain aphids.
But, interestingly, there were still a few winged aphids being caught.
Soil testing: The importance of soil testing cannot be over-emphasised. Accurate test results are a bit like the keys you have to your vehicles and stores – they help provide access to your resources.
A soil test is only valid for four years and an inspector will access the area that pertains to an older test as defaulting to Index 3 fertility levels, which means maintenance P or K levels only. This is okay if you are high Index 3 or Index 4, but if you are Index 1 or 2 it prevents you from applying essential build-up levels of these nutrients.
A soil test must be provided for every 5ha of land farmed.
That’s 20 test results for 100ha.
Test areas of known crop growth variability, as test result variability can be very local as it can be heavily influenced by soil texture.
Get soil samples taken and tested as soon as possible for spring crops or even winter crops where no form of fertiliser has yet been applied.
Lime remains the most critical input, so treat this as a priority. If soil pH is low you get less benefit from expensive applied fertiliser and pH can be tackled in a growing crop using a granular lime.
Dates for your diary: The CAFRE/UAS/UFU arable conference ‘What’s around the corner’ takes place in Greenmount College on Tuesday 15 January 2019. Topics include: Farming for the Public Good, the Future of Fungicides, Financing Machinery, Robotics and the Environment. Throw-in is at 9.30am and the conference fee of £25 includes lunch and tea. Booking should be done online at www.ufuni.org/events by 10 January.
The Teagasc National Tillage Conference takes place on 30 January in the Lyrath Hotel in Kilkenny.
Keep an eye out: As well as keeping an occasional eye on your crops, watch out for your neighbours too. This can be a tough time of year and a simple hello can be worth its weight in gold. And, most of all, stay safe and take care over the holiday period.
Happy Christmas: With Christmas Day just around the corner I would like to wish all my readers a very happy, safe and peaceful Christmas - Andy.
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