Listen to "The spring bean debate – to grow or not to grow." on Spreaker.
Poyntzpass, Co Down
Good drying weather over the past couple of weeks in Poyntzpass has allowed Simon to make a start to spring sowing. Last Monday, he finished sowing Lynx spring beans.
The crop was drilled into ploughed ground with his Horsch Express at a rate of 250kg/ha.
The crop was rolled after sowing and also received a pre-emerge herbicide of Nirvana (4.5l/ha).
Earlier this week, he took delivery of a new 4m Horsch Express KR drill which is equipped with a power harrow. The harrow and disk coulters are mounted at the rear while the hopper is mounted at the front.
We’ll visit Simon in the coming weeks to see his new drill in action when sowing his Elyann spring oats.
Winter crops up to date
Eighty per cent of his winter crops were drilled directly behind his Sumo Trio 3m cultivator last year and all sowing was finished by 9 October.
His DK Exclaim winter oilseed rape is around three weeks ahead of last year. Last December, they received an application of Proline (0.3l/ha) and Belcar (0.5l/ha).
Weed pressure has been higher over winter due to the mild weather but pigeon pressure has been minimal and the crop is now very dense. The crop was brought up to 170kg N/ha by 20 March.
This week, he intends to spray Proline (0.6l/ha) and Zoxis (0.5l/ha).
His home-saved Graham winter wheat crop, which was dressed with Redigo Deter, was brought up to 90kg/ha of N and 27kg/ha of S by 22 March. Simon dissolves his own granular urea and ammonia sulphate to make liquid fertiliser and applies this with a Horsch Leeb 5LT sprayer.
Later this week, the crop will receive the same again. The wheat is now approaching GS30 and last week the crop received a T0 of fluroxypyr (1.0l/ha) and Beta Quat (0.8l/ha) as well as cholorthalonil (1.0l/ha).
His food-grade Mascani winter oats received a broadleaf herbicide spray of Duplosan (1.0l/ha) and Presite (60g/ha) last week. They have so far received 90kg/ha of N and 27kg/ha. The crops are lush and are due a growth regulator later this week.
Croom, Co Limerick
Perfect ground conditions in Limerick have allowed John to bring most of his winter crops up to date with fertiliser applications.
At the start of February, his winter wheat and barley crops received 46kg N/ha (urea). At the end of February, around half of them also received 1,500gals/ac of cattle slurry. The slurry was applied using a contractor’s umbilical and dribble-bar system.
John hopes that the nutrients and trace elements from the slurry will help give the growing crops a kick. “We’ve been wanting to try this for years, but this spring was the first year we’ve had good enough weather to do it,” he remarked. There are tyre marks present in the fields where the tractor drove but John is confident that the crops will grow out of it. The remaining crops received another 125kg/ha of potash.
His winter barley crops are around GS31 while his winter wheat is around GS30. This week, he is applying another 100kg N/ha (urea) across all crops.
Two of John's Costello winter wheat crops. The crop on the left was sown later after maize. The crop on the right is third wheat dressed with latitude.
Most of the winter barley got Bolt (0.5l/ha) and CCC (1.0l/ha) last week while his wheat got Bravo (1.0l/ha) and CCC (1.0l/ha). Both crops also received manganese sulphate (1.0kg/ha).
All winter crops except for those after maize were min-tilled. The ground was first grubbed, then disced before being drilled with his 4.8m Weaving tine drill. Some of the winter wheat was drilled into ground which was ploughed with an Overum 4 furrow and Lemken 5 furrow semi-mounted plough with No. 8 boards.
Growing Tower winter barley and Costello and Conros winter wheat, all sowing was completed by 26 October. He broadcast straight potash on the seedbed before drilling and incorporating. Ground was rolled with his 6m Cambridge roller after sowing.
Using his Berthoud 3,200l sprayer with 24m tramlines, he applied Firebird (0.25l/ha), DFF (0.15l/ha) and Ninja (0.05l/ha). His winter wheat crops received Vigon (1.0l/ha) and Ninja (0.05l/ha). All winter crops also received an application of zinc sulphate (0.6kg/ha) and manganese sulphate (2.0kg/ha).
Lis-ten to "John Galvin, Co. Limerick discusses spreading slurry on winter crops this spring" on Spreak-er.
Delvin, Co Westmeath
Spring sowing has commenced in Westmeath as good ground conditions returned over the past couple of weeks.
This year, Donal is trialling direct drilling. He’s interested in the system from a labour-saving point of view. Last Sunday, a contractor sowed his Fanfare spring beans using a 4m trailed Weaving drill directly into stubble ground following a cover crop. With a TGW of 624g, he used a seeding rate of 250kg/ha. While sowing conditions were ideal, the drill appeared to struggle to handle the slopes in the field. An application of 0:10:20 was broadcast on to the surface before drilling.
Donal also sowed some Planet spring barley for seed at the weekend. The ground was first disced with 4m Staltech disc before drilling with his 3m Amazone drill. With a TGW of 54g, the crop was sown at 180kg/ha aiming for 320 seeds/m2. Around 75kg/ha of Cereal Plus (9.6:5.8:25 + S) was broadcast on the seedbed before sowing.
All winter oilseed crops were brought up to 189kg N/ha by 22 March using Piamon fertiliser (33% N and 12% S). His winter barley was topped up 160kg N/ha on 26 March. Next week, they will receive their T1 spray consisting of Proline and Medax Max.
His winter oats received 426kg/ha of 14:7:14 on 26 March. He wanted to hold off applying N to prevent them from getting too lush. The crop is just entering stem extension and he plans to follow up with more N this week.
Winter wheat has been brought to 110kg N/ha. Last autumn, the crop received Alister (0.75l/ha), Thor (18g/ha) and Karis (50ml/ha) and Biopower.
His Exclaim winter oilseed was first disced before min-tilling with his drill. His Cassia winter barley and Costello winter wheat seed crops were all sown after the plough, while half of his Husky winter oats were min-tilled.
The winter oat ground received pig slurry (2,500g/ac) and lime (1.0t/ac) before sowing. The oats which were min-tilled looked somewhat weaker after winter than the crops which were sown after the plough.
Read more
Irish Grain Growers kick-start #ArableApril to promote Irish tillage
Watch: sowing malting barley in ideal conditions in Wexford
Listen to "The spring bean debate – to grow or not to grow." on Spreaker.
Poyntzpass, Co Down
Good drying weather over the past couple of weeks in Poyntzpass has allowed Simon to make a start to spring sowing. Last Monday, he finished sowing Lynx spring beans.
The crop was drilled into ploughed ground with his Horsch Express at a rate of 250kg/ha.
The crop was rolled after sowing and also received a pre-emerge herbicide of Nirvana (4.5l/ha).
Earlier this week, he took delivery of a new 4m Horsch Express KR drill which is equipped with a power harrow. The harrow and disk coulters are mounted at the rear while the hopper is mounted at the front.
We’ll visit Simon in the coming weeks to see his new drill in action when sowing his Elyann spring oats.
Winter crops up to date
Eighty per cent of his winter crops were drilled directly behind his Sumo Trio 3m cultivator last year and all sowing was finished by 9 October.
His DK Exclaim winter oilseed rape is around three weeks ahead of last year. Last December, they received an application of Proline (0.3l/ha) and Belcar (0.5l/ha).
Weed pressure has been higher over winter due to the mild weather but pigeon pressure has been minimal and the crop is now very dense. The crop was brought up to 170kg N/ha by 20 March.
This week, he intends to spray Proline (0.6l/ha) and Zoxis (0.5l/ha).
His home-saved Graham winter wheat crop, which was dressed with Redigo Deter, was brought up to 90kg/ha of N and 27kg/ha of S by 22 March. Simon dissolves his own granular urea and ammonia sulphate to make liquid fertiliser and applies this with a Horsch Leeb 5LT sprayer.
Later this week, the crop will receive the same again. The wheat is now approaching GS30 and last week the crop received a T0 of fluroxypyr (1.0l/ha) and Beta Quat (0.8l/ha) as well as cholorthalonil (1.0l/ha).
His food-grade Mascani winter oats received a broadleaf herbicide spray of Duplosan (1.0l/ha) and Presite (60g/ha) last week. They have so far received 90kg/ha of N and 27kg/ha. The crops are lush and are due a growth regulator later this week.
Croom, Co Limerick
Perfect ground conditions in Limerick have allowed John to bring most of his winter crops up to date with fertiliser applications.
At the start of February, his winter wheat and barley crops received 46kg N/ha (urea). At the end of February, around half of them also received 1,500gals/ac of cattle slurry. The slurry was applied using a contractor’s umbilical and dribble-bar system.
John hopes that the nutrients and trace elements from the slurry will help give the growing crops a kick. “We’ve been wanting to try this for years, but this spring was the first year we’ve had good enough weather to do it,” he remarked. There are tyre marks present in the fields where the tractor drove but John is confident that the crops will grow out of it. The remaining crops received another 125kg/ha of potash.
His winter barley crops are around GS31 while his winter wheat is around GS30. This week, he is applying another 100kg N/ha (urea) across all crops.
Two of John's Costello winter wheat crops. The crop on the left was sown later after maize. The crop on the right is third wheat dressed with latitude.
Most of the winter barley got Bolt (0.5l/ha) and CCC (1.0l/ha) last week while his wheat got Bravo (1.0l/ha) and CCC (1.0l/ha). Both crops also received manganese sulphate (1.0kg/ha).
All winter crops except for those after maize were min-tilled. The ground was first grubbed, then disced before being drilled with his 4.8m Weaving tine drill. Some of the winter wheat was drilled into ground which was ploughed with an Overum 4 furrow and Lemken 5 furrow semi-mounted plough with No. 8 boards.
Growing Tower winter barley and Costello and Conros winter wheat, all sowing was completed by 26 October. He broadcast straight potash on the seedbed before drilling and incorporating. Ground was rolled with his 6m Cambridge roller after sowing.
Using his Berthoud 3,200l sprayer with 24m tramlines, he applied Firebird (0.25l/ha), DFF (0.15l/ha) and Ninja (0.05l/ha). His winter wheat crops received Vigon (1.0l/ha) and Ninja (0.05l/ha). All winter crops also received an application of zinc sulphate (0.6kg/ha) and manganese sulphate (2.0kg/ha).
Lis-ten to "John Galvin, Co. Limerick discusses spreading slurry on winter crops this spring" on Spreak-er.
Delvin, Co Westmeath
Spring sowing has commenced in Westmeath as good ground conditions returned over the past couple of weeks.
This year, Donal is trialling direct drilling. He’s interested in the system from a labour-saving point of view. Last Sunday, a contractor sowed his Fanfare spring beans using a 4m trailed Weaving drill directly into stubble ground following a cover crop. With a TGW of 624g, he used a seeding rate of 250kg/ha. While sowing conditions were ideal, the drill appeared to struggle to handle the slopes in the field. An application of 0:10:20 was broadcast on to the surface before drilling.
Donal also sowed some Planet spring barley for seed at the weekend. The ground was first disced with 4m Staltech disc before drilling with his 3m Amazone drill. With a TGW of 54g, the crop was sown at 180kg/ha aiming for 320 seeds/m2. Around 75kg/ha of Cereal Plus (9.6:5.8:25 + S) was broadcast on the seedbed before sowing.
All winter oilseed crops were brought up to 189kg N/ha by 22 March using Piamon fertiliser (33% N and 12% S). His winter barley was topped up 160kg N/ha on 26 March. Next week, they will receive their T1 spray consisting of Proline and Medax Max.
His winter oats received 426kg/ha of 14:7:14 on 26 March. He wanted to hold off applying N to prevent them from getting too lush. The crop is just entering stem extension and he plans to follow up with more N this week.
Winter wheat has been brought to 110kg N/ha. Last autumn, the crop received Alister (0.75l/ha), Thor (18g/ha) and Karis (50ml/ha) and Biopower.
His Exclaim winter oilseed was first disced before min-tilling with his drill. His Cassia winter barley and Costello winter wheat seed crops were all sown after the plough, while half of his Husky winter oats were min-tilled.
The winter oat ground received pig slurry (2,500g/ac) and lime (1.0t/ac) before sowing. The oats which were min-tilled looked somewhat weaker after winter than the crops which were sown after the plough.
Read more
Irish Grain Growers kick-start #ArableApril to promote Irish tillage
Watch: sowing malting barley in ideal conditions in Wexford
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