Sowing: As we move into November, it is likely that conditions for planting and crop establishment will deteriorate. This means that more care is needed when deciding when to drill or not. We have learned many times in the past (and forgotten too) that poorly established, patchy crops full of gaps are not the route to high yields or low cost per tonne.
There will inevitably be good opportunities at times to plant for a few weeks yet. Two things must be remembered.
Soil conditions to create the seedbed are very important for full establishment. The condition of the subsoil beneath all the big heavy machinery is what will govern the survival of a crop post establishment. If you tighten damp subsoil during planting you are much more likely to get water sitting post establishment and this can mean blank patches in the crop. Blank patches don’t yield and the price may not be high enough to compensate. Sow when it’s safe, but late-planted crops can still do well. As temperatures drop, the risk from crows, rabbits, etc, increases and this means more hassle and cost during establishment. You can mind a small acreage like this, but not a big scattered area. When temperatures fall, crops take longer to establish, crows get bolder and slugs become an additional concern as seedbeds get damper.
Seeding Rates: Seed rates for wheat need to be above 350 seeds/m2 and pushing towards 400 seeds as we move into November. This will mean at least 170kg/ha (11st/acre) for 50g TGW seed to sow 350 seeds/m2 or 200kg/ha (12.5st/acre) for 400 seeds/m2.
Seed rate for oats should be 140kg/ha (9st/ac) to sow 400 seeds/m2 at 35g TGW. Slugs tend to be less of a problem on oats, but crows are potentially worse.
Seedbed conditions will always be the biggest single influencing factor for seeding rate on the day.
Greening: Online access to one’s 2015 application details is likely to be available in a week or so. While the Department has built in many safeguards into the online application system, it is up to the applicant to ensure that the details for each parcel are correct. This applies to ineligible areas in a parcel and the EFA it supplies from hedges, ditches or buffer zones.
For those who are less familiar with the details to date, assume that you will have to do something for greening until someone confirms that you are outside the system. It is important that farmers now know exactly what they are expected to do. If you don’t understand it fully, get the necessary advice to ensure that you will comply. Up to 30% of your new payment is at stake if you do not comply.
For growers who may pick up land late next spring, it is inevitable that fallow will be part of the mix for 2015 to supply EFA. Fallow land will also provide an area of other crop, if needed. By May of next year, there will not be time to crosscheck on hedges, ditches, etc, so fallow may be the only practical option at the 11th hour. The more of the ground work that is done over winter, the more control and options a grower will have in spring.
Sowing: As we move into November, it is likely that conditions for planting and crop establishment will deteriorate. This means that more care is needed when deciding when to drill or not. We have learned many times in the past (and forgotten too) that poorly established, patchy crops full of gaps are not the route to high yields or low cost per tonne.
There will inevitably be good opportunities at times to plant for a few weeks yet. Two things must be remembered.
Soil conditions to create the seedbed are very important for full establishment. The condition of the subsoil beneath all the big heavy machinery is what will govern the survival of a crop post establishment. If you tighten damp subsoil during planting you are much more likely to get water sitting post establishment and this can mean blank patches in the crop. Blank patches don’t yield and the price may not be high enough to compensate. Sow when it’s safe, but late-planted crops can still do well. As temperatures drop, the risk from crows, rabbits, etc, increases and this means more hassle and cost during establishment. You can mind a small acreage like this, but not a big scattered area. When temperatures fall, crops take longer to establish, crows get bolder and slugs become an additional concern as seedbeds get damper.
Seeding Rates: Seed rates for wheat need to be above 350 seeds/m2 and pushing towards 400 seeds as we move into November. This will mean at least 170kg/ha (11st/acre) for 50g TGW seed to sow 350 seeds/m2 or 200kg/ha (12.5st/acre) for 400 seeds/m2.
Seed rate for oats should be 140kg/ha (9st/ac) to sow 400 seeds/m2 at 35g TGW. Slugs tend to be less of a problem on oats, but crows are potentially worse.
Seedbed conditions will always be the biggest single influencing factor for seeding rate on the day.
Greening: Online access to one’s 2015 application details is likely to be available in a week or so. While the Department has built in many safeguards into the online application system, it is up to the applicant to ensure that the details for each parcel are correct. This applies to ineligible areas in a parcel and the EFA it supplies from hedges, ditches or buffer zones.
For those who are less familiar with the details to date, assume that you will have to do something for greening until someone confirms that you are outside the system. It is important that farmers now know exactly what they are expected to do. If you don’t understand it fully, get the necessary advice to ensure that you will comply. Up to 30% of your new payment is at stake if you do not comply.
For growers who may pick up land late next spring, it is inevitable that fallow will be part of the mix for 2015 to supply EFA. Fallow land will also provide an area of other crop, if needed. By May of next year, there will not be time to crosscheck on hedges, ditches, etc, so fallow may be the only practical option at the 11th hour. The more of the ground work that is done over winter, the more control and options a grower will have in spring.
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