Almost there

We are possibly in the last 1% of crops to be cut but for some it seems like an age ago since the harvest finished. So much so that many have been on edge thinking about planting again in the good soil conditions.

While the drive to plant is understandable, the additional risks associated with early planting must be considered. BYDV, septoria, take-all and grass weeds come to mind immediately but there are also weather affects.

It seems inevitable that there will be a swing to winter cereals. This may put pressure on certified seed availability, especially winter barley, so get seed orders in promptly.

Weather consequences

Soil temperatures are currently running between 14 to 15 degrees. This is 1-2 degrees higher than normal for most tillage areas for this time of the year. This is likely to drive more autumn growth and add to the challenges of disease control and lodging prevention.

Early planting also helps grass weed germination and their competitive capacity. Where we have tools to control a grass weed we can cope. But if soil remains very dry for residual herbicides, failure to get early control could lead to difficulties. Where weeds like blackgrass are present, early planting hands the advantage over to the weed.

Soil nitrogen level must also be considered. This may be different from field to field depending on field history. While bean crops may leave less residual N, it is also possible that low yielding fields will leave more residual N. The dry summer should mean that that N is still in the ground.

The combination of early drilling with high soil N will bring bigger challenges and higher costs down the road. These must be judged in advance and a decision made for each individual field.

Tillage sense

The shift to higher prices is very welcome but lack of yield means that price may not equate to profit. It is essential that growers do basic sums relating to grain and straw sales relative to total costs before embarking on investments.

Current price levels are significantly above recent averages so there is a greater chance that prices will fall than rise as we enter another growing season. So look at forward selling options relative to recent years. If you think a price makes sense you might consider selling a small percentage forward.

Planting

Ideally planting should be delayed until after 25 September to help minimise risks. Planting date is not about the calendar – it is about balancing acreage with soil type, geographical location and altitude.

There is higher risk with earlier planting in areas where more autumn growth is likely and vice versa. So further north and heavier colder land can have an earlier planting date than coastal areas towards the south.

Try to confine September planting to barley rather than wheat, for the reasons outlined. Wheats like Torp and Bennington offer good septoria resistance.