Wet gets wetter

There is little point in even looking over the hedge in this weather. You probably couldn’t even get a quad out to spread slug pellets unless you are on very high and dry land with excellent percolation. The weather is certainly not conducive to very early planting.

Many winter crops are now looking the worst for wear. What were nice evenly established crops have now become patchy as a result of excess water. There is little that one can do about these except to dig or cut a little channel to release the water from ponds close to open drains.

Decisions

While it will be at least a few weeks before anything can be done on the land, it is still time to think about what you plan to do. Some growers may still consider planting the winter wheat seed they have in store and there may be nothing wrong with that up to the end of February. This would be late-maturing (which could be an advantage or a disadvantage) but if it can’t be sown, what is plan B?

Have you any indication of harvest prices from your local merchant? What is on offer for wheat versus barley versus oats and even oilseed rape? Knowing these answers may help you to steer an acreage into a different crop.

Get seed ordered once you decide on your requirements. While we can’t predict markets, rape price looks less promising than this time last year. As against that, wheat could be under even more pressure but there may be more scope for optimism with barley. Fodder crops might also be considered but you need to secure markets before you plant.

Beans

In the absence of confirmation either way, we must assume that the Protein Aid Scheme will continue in 2018. Growers on drier land will consider planting beans in the near future if conditions permit but they must be planted deep to keep crows away.

We have learned from recent years that modern varieties have less requirement for very early planting and that they provide flexibility into March. Seedbed conditions remain very important, especially with later sowing when the crop needs to grow faster. Seedbed conditions are those down in the seedbed and not just on top.

Teagasc research has occasionally found higher yields with March planting, indicating the importance of seedbeds.

Fertility is very important for beans. Soil pH needs to up around seven and P & K should be put down with the seed on Index 1 or 2 soils. This can be even more important for strip-till planting.

P and K requirement depends on soil fertility with recommended rates of 50kg, 40kg, 20kg or 0kg P/ha and 125kg, 50kg, 40kg or 0kg K/ha at soil Indices 1, 2, 3 or 4 respectively. Beans are very sensitive to fertility and it is unlikely that a crop can produce good yield on poor land.

Beans can be successfully planted by ploughing or strip-tilling and the latter could prove more timely. Seed rate should be driven by seed number and seed size – the aim is to establish 30-35 seeds/m2. Make sure that your seed source is free of ascochyta and bean stem nematode.