Salt and Fodder Beet

[crashbox]

Growing fodder beet, going to put salt on at 400kg/ha (50% sodium).

Question is, when do I put it on?

 

[yellowbelly]

We used to spread hundreds of acres of salt for sugar beet (fodder beet is very similar).

Mostly it was on stubbles pre ploughing but when Albright and Wilson was taken over by ICI, to become Britag, their prefered method was post ploughing, anywhere from October onwards, right up to drilling. Theirs was a blended fert containing a high proportion of salt.

Growers on very light land wanted it on later to prevent leaching.

Personally, I don't think it matters much when you put it on - do it to suit your system and machinery.

I don't think you'll gain any weed control by putting it on post drilling.

Back in the day we used to use high rates of dendritic salt, in solution, applied with a sprayer with nozzlles the size of elephant's ar$eholes.

 

[celtis man]

Don't bother.
But make sure the p&K index's are up there as they seem to require a good dose to really grow

 

[yellowbelly]

Don't bother.
But make sure the p&K index's are up there as they seem to require a good dose to really grow

If his K index is low salt is a much cheaper way of rectifying it - sodium is cheaper than potassium and can be used to replace it for a maritime plant like beet.

 

[spin cycle]

I pondered if you could grow fodder beet by spraying weekly with salt solution but no herbicide

 

[yellowbelly]

I pondered if you could grow fodder beet by spraying weekly with salt solution but no herbicide

As always, Spin at the 'cutting edge' of technology

 

[crashbox]

I pondered if you could grow fodder beet by spraying weekly with salt solution but no herbicide

I have a mate who grows fodder beet organically, uses the salt for weed control apparently, hence the question!

 

[crashbox]

Thanks all, will post what we end up doing and any lessons gleaned