Harvest

The rapid progress of recent weeks was interrupted by rainfall that was welcomed in some fields but not in others. But it looks like there will be another clear spell in the week ahead and so we should see a lot more progress. Grain prices continue to rise in a challenging wheat and barley supply situation. But we should not lose sight of the fact that maize could represent much better value if production levels behave according to current predictions. Demand for grain is keen at merchant level, especially from those who are producing feed. Harvesting of spring barley has been under way for a few weeks but it is likely it will begin in earnest from this weekend. Winter wheat is also under way, with very variable results from the early crops – from 2t to over 5t/ac. Good crops appear to be back about half a tonne an acre.

Scutch

As was the case last year there is a surprising amount of scutch after creeping back into some crops, spring barley in particular. Scutch always gets an advantage when the growth of the crop is pressurised as was the case this year. Some fields warrant spraying providing it is allowed. Pre-harvest spraying remains the best control option. Target about 3.0 l/ha of a 360 g/litre product and up the rate where infestation is very bad. Think of this as about 1,100g of glyphosate per hectare because there are many different concentrations of active in the market. In seed and malting barley crops, where pre-harvest treatment is restricted, the scutch should be allowed to re-grow and then sprayed when it is about 15cm tall. A good cover of vegetation is important for spraying.

Stubbles: Once stubbles are cleared, try to get a shallow cultivation done ASAP to encourage weed seed germination (especially grass weeds) as it is early and there is now some moisture about. It makes great sense to plant some form of green cover, especially where the next crop is spring sown. Keep stubble cultivation shallow. Leave the first run ridged and loose to help kill slug and other pest eggs. This might be done shortly before a catch crop is sown following a second run.

Beans

Many bean crops do not look to have great potential as the heat and drought appear to have caused many pods to abort and flowering finished prematurely. Some growers are considering putting these crops into wholecrop silage. This is allowed under the protein crop aid scheme if harvesting takes place after 14 July.

Catch crops

With many stubbles already cleared it makes very good sense to sow a cover crop of some sort between consecutive crops. This can be for fodder production if there is a real market. Catch crops might be purely green manure types or fodder species if there is likely to be a local market. Either way, a green cover is an investment in soil productivity.