This week, we revisit growers from Kildare, Down and Kerry. In Athy, Andrew has completed his winter barley sowing and this week will move into wheat and oats. In both Kerry and Down, Ronan and Simon have completed their autumn sowing campaigns after virtually no interruptions.
Athy,Co Kildare
Over 40mm of rain fell at the weekend and despite sufficient soil moisture levels for winter sowing, the additional moisture was welcome. Conditions have been excellent in Athy over the past month and temperatures have hit close to 20°C at least once each week. As a result, growth has been very good.
Andrews’s cover crops continue to develop. We visited him last week and walked a number of his covers. It comes as no surprise that the earlier-sown crops are more advanced than those which were sown later. The full video can be watched online.
However, when speaking with Andrew this week, he noted that the later-sown cover crops have responded very well to last week’s sunshine and rain and are now notably greener.
Last week, covers on 2019 spring crop ground received an application of chicken pellets.
“The theory is if we can encourage more growth in the cover crop, the nutrients in those crops will be put back into the ground for the next crop,” explained Andrew.
Winter barley emerged
His winter barley was sown two weeks ago and has now emerged. He’s growing the variety Cassia for seed this year. The seed was all treated with Redigo Pro. The crop was sown at 270 seeds/m2, with a TGW of 64g. This worked out at 170kg/ha. The ground was rolled after and Andrew is currently monitoring the crop for the presence of slugs.
Slug pressure is low this year so far. The crop will receive an application of Vigon (0.5l/ha) and DFF (0.15l/ha) once it reaches the two-leaf stage.
He plans on sowing the Cellule winter wheat this week, following spring oats. The field was sown with a cover crop at the end of July and is proving a challenge to kill off.
When he ran the drill through the field, two weeks after desiccation, the crop was still too green for the drill.
“It’s about having patience and waiting for conditions to be right,” Andrew said.
“If we had a nice cold week with some ground frost, this would help kill off the cover, so we can sow the winter wheat,” he said.
Poyntzpass,
Co Down
Simon Best's winter oilseed rape continues to develop at a fast pace and may require a PGR soon.
Sowing conditions have been excellent in Poyntzpass, as dry, sunny and settled conditions dominated the weather over the past few weeks.
However, ground remains very dry and while the weekend rain was welcomed, later-sown crops could do with a small amount of moisture, said Simon.
This season’s sowing campaign began on 26 September and was finished by 9 October after an interrupted spell. A combination of reduced cereal area due to increased winter oilseed rape area and increased 2019 spring crop area meant his winter cereal area was down slightly this year.
Due to the good conditions this year, Simon drilled 80% of his winter crops into a seed bed prepared using his 3m Sumo Trio rather than the plough.
The implement consists of six straight subsoiler legs with wings reaching depths of 30cm, followed by discs and a heavy packer.
He first sowed his home-saved Graham winter wheat at 125kg to 135kg/ha, aiming for 220 plants/m2 with 85% establishment. The TGW was 42g and all of the seed was dressed with Redigo Deter. He then sowed his Mascani winter oats at 165kg/ha, aiming for 300 plants/m2 at 85% establishment. The TGW was also 42g and all seed was dressed with Redigo Deter.
Winter oilseed rape decisions
His DK Existential and DK Exclaim winter oilseed have established very well and have developed a thick cover. Simon fears that the crop may be too advanced going into winter and will make the decision soon whether or not to apply a growth regulator to hold back further growth. The crop has so far received no slug pellets.
Simon is currently between agri-environmental schemes, having finished the NICMS earlier in the year. He has now applied for the new Environmental Farming Scheme, but, due to a number of new constraints in the scheme, which include farm size, it is now likely that only 6ha of his existing 40ha of arable margins, wild bird cover and pollen and nectar cover will be eligible.
“Everything is in the ground now in good order, and is getting the best chance to get up and going this autumn,” he said.
Tralee,
Co Kerry
Ronan Barron's Carnival winter barley was sown in great conditions and has all emerged.
In general, weather conditions have been good in Tralee over the past month. Despite some rainfall, Ronan explained that land is still quite dry and machine trafficability is good – “you got your dry days where you could get your work done”.
Around the north Kerry region, the bulk of the maize crops are now harvested, the main crop potato harvest is under way and virtually all winter cereal sowing is complete.
Growing conditions have been good, with a lot of bales of silage produced in the area over the past month.
This has helped alleviate the fodder deficit situation, although the fodder pressure wasn’t as severe in his area as others, explained Ronan.
He started to graze his Interval forage rape last week with his own heifers. The crop, which was sown into stubble in August, is now around waist height.
All of this ground had to be fenced at a cost of around €500.
His forage rye is developing well and is currently around 25cm to 30cm in height.
He now plans to graze the crop and possibly bale it in the spring time. He doesn’t think he’ll have enough of a crop of Westerwolds to justify baling before next spring.
“It’s hard to see it coming by this side of the Christmas,” he said. His later-sown forage rape is now around 30cm in height.
Winter crop planting complete
Ronan starting sowing winter barley on 4 October and was finished by the Sunday with little interruption.
Prior to this, all ground received an application of slurry and farmyard manure. His ground destined for winter crops all tested index 4 for P and K, with an exception of 12 acres, which tested 3 for P. His soil pH ranges from 6.3 to 6.5.
After ploughing with his five-furrow Kverneland on number eight boards, he was able to go straight in with his 3m mounted Amazone one-pass seed drill, as conditions were excellent.
He sowed his Carnival winter barley at 200kg to 220kg/ha and his Belfry and Quadra at around 110kg/ha.
All of the ground was rolled after sowing, but slug pressure is low.
“We’ve finished in good time this year; there would be years when we’d often only be starting to sow now,” he said.
Read more
Watch: conducting a yield assessment in a potato crop
Watch: growers still awaiting final Diquat decision
This week, we revisit growers from Kildare, Down and Kerry. In Athy, Andrew has completed his winter barley sowing and this week will move into wheat and oats. In both Kerry and Down, Ronan and Simon have completed their autumn sowing campaigns after virtually no interruptions.
Athy,Co Kildare
Over 40mm of rain fell at the weekend and despite sufficient soil moisture levels for winter sowing, the additional moisture was welcome. Conditions have been excellent in Athy over the past month and temperatures have hit close to 20°C at least once each week. As a result, growth has been very good.
Andrews’s cover crops continue to develop. We visited him last week and walked a number of his covers. It comes as no surprise that the earlier-sown crops are more advanced than those which were sown later. The full video can be watched online.
However, when speaking with Andrew this week, he noted that the later-sown cover crops have responded very well to last week’s sunshine and rain and are now notably greener.
Last week, covers on 2019 spring crop ground received an application of chicken pellets.
“The theory is if we can encourage more growth in the cover crop, the nutrients in those crops will be put back into the ground for the next crop,” explained Andrew.
Winter barley emerged
His winter barley was sown two weeks ago and has now emerged. He’s growing the variety Cassia for seed this year. The seed was all treated with Redigo Pro. The crop was sown at 270 seeds/m2, with a TGW of 64g. This worked out at 170kg/ha. The ground was rolled after and Andrew is currently monitoring the crop for the presence of slugs.
Slug pressure is low this year so far. The crop will receive an application of Vigon (0.5l/ha) and DFF (0.15l/ha) once it reaches the two-leaf stage.
He plans on sowing the Cellule winter wheat this week, following spring oats. The field was sown with a cover crop at the end of July and is proving a challenge to kill off.
When he ran the drill through the field, two weeks after desiccation, the crop was still too green for the drill.
“It’s about having patience and waiting for conditions to be right,” Andrew said.
“If we had a nice cold week with some ground frost, this would help kill off the cover, so we can sow the winter wheat,” he said.
Poyntzpass,
Co Down
Simon Best's winter oilseed rape continues to develop at a fast pace and may require a PGR soon.
Sowing conditions have been excellent in Poyntzpass, as dry, sunny and settled conditions dominated the weather over the past few weeks.
However, ground remains very dry and while the weekend rain was welcomed, later-sown crops could do with a small amount of moisture, said Simon.
This season’s sowing campaign began on 26 September and was finished by 9 October after an interrupted spell. A combination of reduced cereal area due to increased winter oilseed rape area and increased 2019 spring crop area meant his winter cereal area was down slightly this year.
Due to the good conditions this year, Simon drilled 80% of his winter crops into a seed bed prepared using his 3m Sumo Trio rather than the plough.
The implement consists of six straight subsoiler legs with wings reaching depths of 30cm, followed by discs and a heavy packer.
He first sowed his home-saved Graham winter wheat at 125kg to 135kg/ha, aiming for 220 plants/m2 with 85% establishment. The TGW was 42g and all of the seed was dressed with Redigo Deter. He then sowed his Mascani winter oats at 165kg/ha, aiming for 300 plants/m2 at 85% establishment. The TGW was also 42g and all seed was dressed with Redigo Deter.
Winter oilseed rape decisions
His DK Existential and DK Exclaim winter oilseed have established very well and have developed a thick cover. Simon fears that the crop may be too advanced going into winter and will make the decision soon whether or not to apply a growth regulator to hold back further growth. The crop has so far received no slug pellets.
Simon is currently between agri-environmental schemes, having finished the NICMS earlier in the year. He has now applied for the new Environmental Farming Scheme, but, due to a number of new constraints in the scheme, which include farm size, it is now likely that only 6ha of his existing 40ha of arable margins, wild bird cover and pollen and nectar cover will be eligible.
“Everything is in the ground now in good order, and is getting the best chance to get up and going this autumn,” he said.
Tralee,
Co Kerry
Ronan Barron's Carnival winter barley was sown in great conditions and has all emerged.
In general, weather conditions have been good in Tralee over the past month. Despite some rainfall, Ronan explained that land is still quite dry and machine trafficability is good – “you got your dry days where you could get your work done”.
Around the north Kerry region, the bulk of the maize crops are now harvested, the main crop potato harvest is under way and virtually all winter cereal sowing is complete.
Growing conditions have been good, with a lot of bales of silage produced in the area over the past month.
This has helped alleviate the fodder deficit situation, although the fodder pressure wasn’t as severe in his area as others, explained Ronan.
He started to graze his Interval forage rape last week with his own heifers. The crop, which was sown into stubble in August, is now around waist height.
All of this ground had to be fenced at a cost of around €500.
His forage rye is developing well and is currently around 25cm to 30cm in height.
He now plans to graze the crop and possibly bale it in the spring time. He doesn’t think he’ll have enough of a crop of Westerwolds to justify baling before next spring.
“It’s hard to see it coming by this side of the Christmas,” he said. His later-sown forage rape is now around 30cm in height.
Winter crop planting complete
Ronan starting sowing winter barley on 4 October and was finished by the Sunday with little interruption.
Prior to this, all ground received an application of slurry and farmyard manure. His ground destined for winter crops all tested index 4 for P and K, with an exception of 12 acres, which tested 3 for P. His soil pH ranges from 6.3 to 6.5.
After ploughing with his five-furrow Kverneland on number eight boards, he was able to go straight in with his 3m mounted Amazone one-pass seed drill, as conditions were excellent.
He sowed his Carnival winter barley at 200kg to 220kg/ha and his Belfry and Quadra at around 110kg/ha.
All of the ground was rolled after sowing, but slug pressure is low.
“We’ve finished in good time this year; there would be years when we’d often only be starting to sow now,” he said.
Read more
Watch: conducting a yield assessment in a potato crop
Watch: growers still awaiting final Diquat decision
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