Cheapest NUM3 Legume Fallow Seed

[teslacoils]

Hiya,

Who has found the cheapest supplier of SFI-compatible legume fallow seed then? That will do a decent job for a full three year period.

tia.

 

[Kam]

The last AB15 seed I bought in the spring was £5.90 per kilo from P&R Seeds Ltd

 

[Badshot]

Make your own up with straights.

It's not difficult, it's not that expensive either, and it will likely be a lot cheaper than a ready made mix.
Chuck a good portion of clover in, and some flowers of some sort.
Jobs a good un.

 

[teslacoils]

Make your own up with straights.

It's not difficult, it's not that expensive either, and it will likely be a lot cheaper than a ready made mix.
Chuck a good portion of clover in, and some flowers of some sort.
Jobs a good un.

Yes, I was hoping the guidance would be a touch more specific in what they wanted.

 

[Badshot]

Yes, I was hoping the guidance would be a touch more specific in what they wanted.

The whole ethos of it is flexible so we can make it work on our farm, not be dictated to by someone from an office who may or may not know anything about the practicalities.

 

[teslacoils]

The whole ethos of it is flexible so we can make it work on our farm, not be dictated to by someone from an office who may or may not know anything about the practicalities.

Oh ace, I'll mix up something ace then.

 

[yellow belly]

you have Got plenty of time to investigate
spring planting when the land warms up

look at mixture for ab 15


I have some planted last autumn no grass in the mix
this spring i thought there was too much rubbish and not enough mixture growing
thought adding a bit of grass would have helped with competing the weeds latest flowering ryegrass possibly
but cut when the bg and brome was in flower in early May then again in July
just cut again and the planted mixture has taken over so may be a non grass mix is adequate with good timely cutting
I have a front flail so wheeling are cut before the tractor so do not have to shave the ground

the Sfi rules have a bit more flexibility on management

looking a buying and mixing my own with species that match the soil

May try combineing a field at the end of the ab15

 

[Hindsight]

you have Got plenty of time to investigate
spring planting when the land warms up

look at mixture for ab 15


I have some planted last autumn no grass in the mix
this spring i thought there was too much rubbish and not enough mixture growing
thought adding a bit of grass would have helped with competing the weeds latest flowering ryegrass possibly
but cut when the bg and brome was in flower in early May then again in July
just cut again and the planted mixture has taken over so may be a non grass mix is adequate with good timely cutting
I have a front flail so wheeling are cut before the tractor so do not have to shave the ground

the Sfi rules have a bit more flexibility on management

looking a buying and mixing my own with species that match the soil

May try combineing a field at the end of the ab15

I am genuinely amazed you have no grassweeds (blackgrass) in AB15 with two cuttings. I agree the planted clovers become a thick crop of stuff in year two. But all the fields of Autumn 2021 planted AB15 I have followed have varying level of Blackgrass burden, so much so some are being left for two more years in same place, then sort out later. The only case I know of where blackgrass not an issue was accidentally sown autumn 2020 as farmer did understand the agreement start and option start dates, and was mown 10 times at 10 dat intervals in 2021. I must be going wrong somewhere given all this enthusiasm for legume fallows under SFI.

 

[bobk]

No ryegrass in NUM3 iirc , timothy is ok

 

[yellow belly]

I am genuinely amazed you have no grassweeds (blackgrass) in AB15 with two cuttings. I agree the planted clovers become a thick crop of stuff in year two. But all the fields of Autumn 2021 planted AB15 I have followed have varying level of Blackgrass burden, so much so some are being left for two more years in same place, then sort out later. The only case I know of where blackgrass not an issue was accidentally sown autumn 2020 as farmer did understand the agreement start and option start dates, and was mown 10 times at 10 dat intervals in 2021. I must be going wrong somewhere given all this enthusiasm for legume fallows under SFI.

I am saying that bg cut at the optimum time will not produce viable seeds
Cut too early and it grows back faster and below cutting height

bg is a weed that needs nitrogen an bare land to proliferate
viable seeds are not produced until it has filled the seed after fertilisation this is more than a couple of weeks after flowering

I have controlled it well in osr by cutting it in may and roundup at desication
And also by cutting in may after full flower and then in august
The germination rate of normal bg seeds is 30%
It relies on producing a lot and then farmers burying it so there are some viable seeds in the soil
Leave them on the top

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

I am genuinely amazed you have no grassweeds (blackgrass) in AB15 with two cuttings. I agree the planted clovers become a thick crop of stuff in year two. But all the fields of Autumn 2021 planted AB15 I have followed have varying level of Blackgrass burden, so much so some are being left for two more years in same place, then sort out later. The only case I know of where blackgrass not an issue was accidentally sown autumn 2020 as farmer did understand the agreement start and option start dates, and was mown 10 times at 10 dat intervals in 2021. I must be going wrong somewhere given all this enthusiasm for legume fallows under SFI.

Have had moderate success suppressing bg by mowing. It's important that whatever else you are cutting wants to grow back, otherwise as said above, the bg will seed at 2". Because it needs light and doesn't like being cut, it works.

 

[Hindsight]

Have had moderate success suppressing bg by mowing. It's important that whatever else you are cutting wants to grow back, otherwise as said above, the bg will seed at 2". Because it needs light and doesn't like being cut, it works.

Thanks. I am intrigued by your use of the word 'moderate'. A quite subjective word!? In my own observations front mounted mower is important - in general the rear mounted bat wing flails have been used - as these were available.

 

[Hindsight]

I am saying that bg cut at the optimum time will not produce viable seeds
Cut too early and it grows back faster and below cutting height

bg is a weed that needs nitrogen an bare land to proliferate
viable seeds are not produced until it has filled the seed after fertilisation this is more than a couple of weeks after flowering

I have controlled it well in osr by cutting it in may and roundup at desication
And also by cutting in may after full flower and then in august
The germination rate of normal bg seeds is 30%
It relies on producing a lot and then farmers burying it so there are some viable seeds in the soil
Leave them on the top

Thanks for that. I will continue to watch locally fields that are and have been AB15. Interesting voyage of discovery as many of these sown autumn 2021, following the business advisers falling out with OSR in summer 2020 and thus introducing AB15 as the alternative break crop in CS schemes, started Jan 1 2021 are going back into winter wheat this autumn. I have some which will I think now it has rained end up as Spring Barley. That will most likely lodge with nitrogen from the clover!!

 

[Huno]

I am saying that bg cut at the optimum time will not produce viable seeds
Cut too early and it grows back faster and below cutting height

bg is a weed that needs nitrogen an bare land to proliferate
viable seeds are not produced until it has filled the seed after fertilisation this is more than a couple of weeks after flowering

I have controlled it well in osr by cutting it in may and roundup at desication
And also by cutting in may after full flower and then in august
The germination rate of normal bg seeds is 30%
It relies on producing a lot and then farmers burying it so there are some viable seeds in the soil
Leave them on the top

looks like all the profit will disappear by mowing and seed costs! it will a good grass crop by the end of year 2 and ready for grazing but not so good for winter wheat... been there and have all the postcards

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Thanks. I am intrigued by your use of the word 'moderate'. A quite subjective word!? In my own observations front mounted mower is important - in general the rear mounted bat wing flails have been used - as these were available.

Probably should have said anecdotally, as I have also had some disasters. I silaged some black grassy wheat one time and that turned out to be a bad idea because the bg grew back and the wheat didn't. From my limited experience, it's all about your "competition crop" being able to get away after cutting. BG doesn't seem to be able to get the height after cutting, so even if it throws out a seed head, viability should be reduced through lack of light. Anyway, I don't want to sound like an expert, just what I have seen.

 

[bobk]

Be good if someone could put some mixes and suppliers up
Lucerne wunna grow here , so that's a waste of time

 

[Huno]

Hiya,

Who has found the cheapest supplier of SFI-compatible legume fallow seed then? That will do a decent job for a full three year period.

tia.

grow your own and pay the royalties!!!

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Be good if someone could put some mixes and suppliers up
Lucerne wunna grow here , so that's a waste of time

Do they say what it can or can't include or does it just need to be legumes?

 

[Huno]

grown your own lucerne for seed... it is then innoculated to your soils mr bob k

 

[Huno]

Do they say what it can or can't include or does it just need to be legumes?

lucerne or alfalfa is the best legume in the world for thin soils.. Libya grew it for decades ( 1980's) in the desert to feed their dairy cows on rotary spirinklers and gadaffi swam in that milk... fact