Ground conditions

Winter planting progressed quite well in the past week with most fields in the east and south in good working condition. Things remain more difficult towards the west and north but much of the remaining harvest that was possible to cut has now been salvaged.

While conditions are good for establishment, slugs are also active in the moist conditions and they have already destroyed some winter rape crops. Firm seedbeds provide a good basis for cultural control but this may prove very difficult. And if temperatures fall it is possible that crows could become a serious problem also.

Slug control may well be necessary in all crops and possibly also in catch crops planted from now on. Put down traps ahead of planting to assess activity. If a problem is likely, apply products such as Axcela or Metarex or others before emergence when there is only one source of food.

Planting: Continue planting winter wheat at up to 280 seeds/m2 or 155 kg/ha (10 st/ac) for 55g seed. Winter barley planting should be completed soon, targeting 350 seeds/m2 with up to 200 kg/ha (13 st/ac) for up to 58g seed (depends on variety and seed source). Continue planting oats at 140-155 kg/ha (9-10 st/ac) for 350-380 seeds/m2 from 40g seed.

Aphicide and herbicide

The current mild weather means risk of BYDV. Expect about six weeks of aphid control post emergence where Redigo Deter was used. High pressure areas might need a follow-up aphicide in 5-6 weeks.

Early sown crops need more aggressive grass weed control. Apply pendimethalin or flufenacet pre-emerge and follow with more aggressive products for brome or blackgrass. Where serious grassweeds are not a problem mixes like DFF (diflufenican) plus Defy will do a good job. Broader spectrum products like Alister, Firebird, Flight or Vigon might be used as a follow-up or alone on later sown crops.

Catch crops

While GLAS cover crops can now be planted until the end of this month, this is still not an easy option. Ground conditions remain difficult and the amount of growth likely will be limited at best. This is even more challenging for those using equivalence for the three-crop rule as they must still plant all of their area in cover crops.

The problem is that the promise was made at application time. So what is the best thing to do at this point? Many growers have already purchased expensive seed mixes with the intention of early planting and this cannot be returned. I would suggest putting this to one side, store it carefully for a year and use a cheaper mix now.

Cheaper mixes might include oats along with either fodder rape or a different brassica or even mustard. You need things that will grow fast but that are not too expensive. You also need things that will establish in not great conditions as you are unlikely to get really good seedbeds in a single pass of a cultivator. Good establishment may involve cultivation, roll, sow and then either roll or cultivate again.