Dry spell welcome: Last week was pretty dry for everyone, with a bit more heat likely this week.

I note that the monthly forecast from Met Éireann suggests next week is likely to be good again, but the forecast is for quite broken weather for the first two weeks in April.

That could leave a very short window for timely spring planting.

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Land has been slow to dry out enough to get cultivation and planting done in most areas. So there is still a lot to do, but higher temperatures should help to get machines rolling in the days ahead.

Winter crops: The warmer temperatures are bringing signs of growth in cereal crops and rape has been driving on for some time now.

Early sown crops are now either side of the start of stem extension. Crops sown in fertile situations continue to look very lush – these will harden up in time, but they also need growth regulation soon.

Yellow rust incidence appears to be much lower this year, but this disease should not be taken for granted. Brown rust is evident in some winter barley and rye crops however.

These diseases may need to be treated, especially if they are visibly moving up onto new foliage.

It will soon be time for fungicide on some winter barley crops – watch for the presence of mildew and net blotch, as well as rhyncho. Mildew was widespread but the threat seems to have subsided. First fungicides will tend to be a triazole plus a strobilurin or SDHI mix.

Nitrogen: Winter oilseed rape is extending with some flowers present. This is close to the time to apply the balance of the nitrogen, around 60kg N/ha.

Apply before the crop gets too tall, as damage can occur to the flower heads during application. It is good if some of this nitrogen can be applied even later, but this would mean using liquid N.

Later N helps delay leaf senescence and prolong seed fill to help yield. There should be no major urgency on the second split of N on winter cereals, especially if the first application was only applied recently.

The main demand period is from GS31 onwards. Total rates are more complicated this year because of nitrogen price, but one should seriously consider cutting back total N rate by 10-15%.

Bring wheat on Index 1 sites up to around 160kg N/ha soon, with the option to apply a third split at GS37 if the economics look good then. Bring Index 2 fields up to 140kg N/ha, again with the option of a third application.

Take winter barley up to a total of 160-180kg N/ha, depending on yield potential. Finish oats now at 120-130kg N/ha.

Growth regulation: As forward crops move into stem extension, some form of growth regulation will be necessary.

Higher temperatures mean more favourable conditions for growth regulators, whether you use CCC, Modus or Medax Max, or the K2/Ceraide types.

These are best applied at the start of or during stem extension. All PGRs work best when crops are actively growing.