There is still time to plant winter oilseed rape but it will now need some form of fertiliser to drive autumn growth.

Ideally this should be in the seedbed to get the best kick from it.

If you are using organics ploughed down, you might still benefit from a little N on top to drive early growth to get the roots down to the organic nutrients.

Late-planted crops should get 25-37kg N/ha (20-30 units/ac) depending on recent management – this must be counted as part of the total. Hybrids are more likely to have an advantage with later sowing.

Catch crops

The planting deadline is extended to 30 September

Catch crops need to be sown as soon as possible to get the benefit.

This is about achieving maximum growth to have organic matter to put back into the ground.

The GLAS payment helps to pay for that but the real benefit will be in the ground in two to three years and beyond.

The benefit is proportional to the volume of autumn growth achieved.

The planting deadline is extended to 30 September

Spraying

Oilseed rape crops will need to be sprayed for weeds.

Some early sown crops may be sprayed already but others are still to be sown.

If you are using Katamaran Turbo, it must be used either immediately after planting or post-emergence. Do not apply as seedlings are emerging.

This product needs to be applied before weeds are well emerged.

Early sown crops may need a graminicide soon for volunteer cereals or grass weeds – these must be present for spraying. Some will opt to wait and spray these with Kerb-type products during winter but early sown crops with good vegetation may provide too much cover for good grass weed control by the time spraying takes place.

Cultivate stubbles

Conditions are not great for stubble cultivation as soil is often a bit too wet.

However, conditions are still good for germination and it is always good to grow out problem weeds.

Some cultivated stubbles have become very green – if possible, cultivate these again if conditions are good enough so as to kill much of this vegetation and to encourage further germination before ploughing or spraying.

Read More

Prices remain sensitive to weather and yield

Straw all sold but not yet baled