Weather: Weather has continued to allow for work in the fields, although those trying to plant crops have been struggling to find a slot with bits of drizzle, fog and rain on Tuesday interrupting progress. Spraying has continued on cereals and oilseed rape.
Herbicides should really have been applied to all crops by now. Early application of herbicides gives better control.
Leaving crops until the spring time in a year like this does not make sense. Take the opportunity to get better control and for more difficult weeds you may need to travel again in the spring time.
Decide on aphid spraying based on risk. If the variety doesn’t have tolerance or was planted early then it possibly needs an aphicide. Keep an eye out for slugs and crows. Set slug traps with porridge underneath a slate and see what numbers come under the slate. Kites and scarecrows are out in many fields, particularly late-sown crops to keep crows away.
The weather has been so dry, it is a great chance to keep on top of things. Met Éireann placed many well-drained and moderately-drained soils at soil moisture deficits of between 2mm and 6mm this week, so they are not at field capacity. There is also high pressure in the forecast. That drier weather may bring colder temperatures to help keep disease and aphids at bay.
Anti-freeze: There are some cold nights in the forecast. As spraying wraps up clean out machines and make sure you have anti-freeze run through the machine and that you have enough anti-freeze in the mix.
You cannot spray glyphosate on green cover until 1 December and you cannot spray cover crops until 1 January so it might be best to have the anti-freeze in until you get moving again with the sprayer.
Safety grant: The deadline to submit expressions of interest and applications for payment for the National Farm Safety Measure has been extended by three weeks to 27 November. Check your PTO covers and see do they need to be changed on your machinery. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine said this week that: “Once an expression of interest has been submitted, the application for payment (claim) must be submitted no later than Friday, 27 November 2026.”
The measure provides 60% grant aid up to a maximum eligible cost of €100 for up to four PTO shaft covers on farms.
Conferences: The National Potato Conference takes place next week on Tuesday 17 November at City North Hotel. The conference is organised by Teagasc and the IFA and also features trade stands. The Irish Tillage and Land Use Society will hold its winter conference on Thursday, 3 December at the Clanard Court Hotel in Athy, Co Kildare. The conference features panels on succession, bringing young people into the tillage industry and a look at a farm in Western Australia. Contact itlussec50@gmail.com if you would like to attend. Tickets are €50 for members, €80 for non-members and €30 for students who are not members.
Tillage Day: Thank you to all who came to Tillage Day. We hope you enjoyed the day and took some advice home.
