Busy on the land: The past few weeks have been as good as the previous months were bad and so they have been hectic on the land. And with some luck there may not be much rain in the break that is currently forecast for this weekend. After all the concern about lateness, we are now just into April and a lot of the spring cereal planting is already done and in good condition.

The good ground conditions could be a big benefit in the coming months. The recent dry conditions have also allowed the last of the potatoes and fodder beet to be harvested.

Growth is evident in winter crops and many of them now look better than they did a few weeks ago. Temperatures seem set to increase somewhat as we get into next week and that will be welcome at this point.

It would seem that all merchants and co-ops are open to supply essential inputs and services. This includes crop walking by appointment with the business/person concerned, providing there is no physical contact.

Planting: It is likely that all spring beans and wheat will be planted by now; if not, they are the most urgent to get finished. Try and get oats wrapped up too. That leaves spring barley as the main crop to complete, along with some spring rape and peas. Then it will be time for maize and beet planting again, with potatoes going in from now on too. There has been a lot of ploughing done and that will help speed up the last of the planting.

For those still with oats to plant, drill about 140-155 kg/ha (9-10 st/ac) at this point to give the crop a good start. Spring barley should be slightly higher at around 155-170 kg/ha (10-11 st/ac) into good seedbeds. Spring rape can be drilled now too but it is possibly better to wait a little until the ground gets warmer to give it a fast start. Plant this at around 5kg/ha of seed to enable the crop to compete against the weeds.

For barley and rape, one should combine drill fertiliser, if possible. Seedbed incorporation is the next best option, but it needs to be cultivated in. Use soil test results to guide fertiliser choice and rate.

If your soil is Index 2 the required max P and K are 37kgP and 95kg K/ha for spring barley with straw removed. If you don’t have a recent soil test result the maximum one can use is 27kgP and 80kg K/ha, assuming a 7t/ha crop.

On the Index 2 soil, 375kg/ha of 10:10:20 would give adequate P but K would need to be topped up separately to help build fertility. Don’t forget to add sulphur on light worn ground, at least 15kg S/ha.

Roll post drilling, preferably at an angle to the direction of drilling as this will give you better firming.

Fertiliser on winter crops: All crops should have received basic fertiliser by now. Forward rape crops need to have their remaining nitrogen applied once flowers are evident. Some of the most forward winter crops are now getting into stem extension and so may need their main split of N at GS31 by the end of next week.