Will's No Till Diary

Louis Mc

Member
Location
Meath, Ireland
Rbwh appeared just about everywhere here this autumn. One field in particular which is far from sad or acidic....I'm sure it's the soil telling us something, just not sure what
 

Richard III

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
CW5 Cheshire
My indicator weed is AMG, if the land is compacted or needs draining AMG will grow, otherwise I see very little AMG in No Till.

As Will says, RBWH likes to fill in any gap. I have recently given up having a sterile strip around the outside of fields, it just provided a spot for RBWH to grow. I think one of reasons why it is such a problem in No Till is that it is often not fully controlled at the start of a crops life, whereas cultivations always kill it.
 
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Last day on stubble burn off. This was an oat cover after wheat. Going to spring barley. Probably was a little overgrazed. Will drill with some AS placed from 10 days time
 
View attachment 491492View attachment 491494Started drilling beans into er moss today! Struggling with the 7740 on the old drill as the arion software playing up. Tractor not very happy about it nor me really, can only go about 8k as drilling deeper.

Its just about dry enough as its beans but a bit slotty. Will roll.tomorrow
Do the back wheels of the drill carry any weight when drilling?
 

Flat 10

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Fen Edge
View attachment 491492View attachment 491494Started drilling beans into er moss today! Struggling with the 7740 on the old drill as the arion software playing up. Tractor not very happy about it nor me really, can only go about 8k as drilling deeper.

Its just about dry enough as its beans but a bit slotty. Will roll.tomorrow
I'd be scared to death with all that moss, but you have previously stated that it doesn't appear to have any negative effects for you, but can't help with the rolling and trying to seal the slot? Anyway good to give the old ford a run out. Why aren't you moving straight on to drilling the spring barley, I see you are waiting 10 days, there doesn't look like you are waiting for covers to die back? Just soil temps?
 
I'd be scared to death with all that moss, but you have previously stated that it doesn't appear to have any negative effects for you, but can't help with the rolling and trying to seal the slot? Anyway good to give the old ford a run out. Why aren't you moving straight on to drilling the spring barley, I see you are waiting 10 days, there doesn't look like you are waiting for covers to die back? Just soil temps?

The moss is odd. Ph test read 6.4 and my own tests read similar. I just think its natures way of filling a gap. Only thing is potash is a little low. Ive seen it come and go over the years, maybe sea air, rain, surface acidity etc. Tends to dissaper in may june

The beans are pretty well pressed in. The rolling is more for peace of mind and to give dad a job.

Will give some updates later in season.

May start spring barley but weather looks a bit ropey and burn off needs a few more days
 
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Did some barley yesterday. Rained off now. Looking back i wish id sprayed roundup off earlier as i felt the residue is a bit strong but hopefully the 125kg ha of placed AS will help push it along.

Thinking Spitfire or platform s early on after emergence to get the willowherb on display.

Moved some sheep this morning
Now this are my marginal field and it doesnt owe me anything but this was pasture 2 years ago and still gets plenty of regrowth. Sheep moved off this morning and will spray asap and plant some spring barley after April 15th here and then lather with chicken muck once its up. My version of pasture cropping!
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BSH

Member
BASE UK Member
My experience of a growing moss problem was that it was a compaction issue. When I slit aerated the fields the moss went away. This was on grassland fields though. Do the fields that have moss have any cover over the winter? Is it possible that there is surface compaction from over winter rain? Just a thought.
 
Well i did say id report cock ups. Ive been two simoned! :mad:

Spring barley drilled 10 days ago has hardly germinated. Field is a write off. Basically sprayed stubble which was.ungrazed winter barley stubble 18 days before. After drilling it pee'd down for 3 days and this has effected germination.

Another lesson in 2 simoning! Luckily it was just recleaned farm saved seed so hasnt cost a fortune. Ill probably redrill with spring beans as field really needed a break but could just as easily redrill with barley next week in dry conditions.

Perplexing as ever...
 
Well i did say id report cock ups. Ive been two simoned! :mad:

Spring barley drilled 10 days ago has hardly germinated. Field is a write off. Basically sprayed stubble which was.ungrazed winter barley stubble 18 days before. After drilling it pee'd down for 3 days and this has effected germination.

Another lesson in 2 simoning! Luckily it was just recleaned farm saved seed so hasnt cost a fortune. Ill probably redrill with spring beans as field really needed a break but could just as easily redrill with barley next week in dry conditions.

Perplexing as ever...

Could just as easily be glyphosate effects, especially given the fact stubbles were ungrazed and the spray to drilling period was not that long.
 
Could just as easily be glyphosate effects, especially given the fact stubbles were ungrazed and the spray to drilling period was not that long.

It could be. I think its the acidity from the decay rather than direct glyphosate simply.because i dont seem to get it in the autumn ever and talking with dad the times it has happened has been spring. But it could be yes.

I think if it stayed dryer im not sure it would have happened.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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