I read some of the direct drilling threads with interest, but a lot of the discussion seems to relate to the dry arable areas of the east and the midlands. Are there many people making a go of dd in the wetter, more mixed-farming areas of Devon, Cornwall, Wales, parts of Scotland etc, and are there any reasons that would make the system more difficult to operate there?
No-till in the west?
- Thread starter MattR
- Start date
Shropshire Farmer
Member
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire.
No-tilling where possible here in Shropshire, but it’s evolving the rotation and getting the fields in order to get it working properly. I’m finding the need to lightly cultivate where sheep have grazed covers over the winter. Root crops previously have destroyed natural structure. So I’m using rape or cover crops to get roots down to repair.
- Location
- Foothills of the Quantocks
Been no-tilling in Somerset for 20yrs. Works fine most of the time. Mostly Light-ish land with 100ac of clay.
Just bought a drill here in north wales. 18 acres of barley gone into old PP grass fields last weekend as a trial. Feelong quite brave i did 3 acres without spraying the grass off as an experiment to see what happens 
How is it working on the clay? Do you have a bit of work to do to get it suitable for DD.
Currently working on getting a direct drill going to have another trial in the autumn.
- Location
- Foothills of the Quantocks
We took it on after a very wet harvest so we used a power harrow to level the worst ruts and DD'd OSR (used a quad bike + spinner in the worst bits). The year after we levelled it all with a carrier but not cultivated since. It grows a cracking wheat crop and we've had very good OSR previously, although this year's rape is quite patchy. To be fair though, the conventionally drilled stuff nearby doesn't look happy either.
Just bought a drill here in north wales. 18 acres of barley gone into old PP grass fields last weekend as a trial. Feelong quite brave i did 3 acres without spraying the grass off as an experiment to see what happens
That sounds interesting,bet the neighbours are looking over the hedge.
How’s the tractor coping with the drill?
Ive 2 phone calls amd 3 different people havw stopped by asking what im doing so people must be talking again
Not too bad. Its a lot heavier than i expected it to be with so much weight out the back. Had the front wheels in the air starting off on a particularly steep bit
pulls it ok though but did spin a bit going uphill but was mostly fine if i just lifted it up enough to have some weight on the back wheels. It was running quite deep though i put the barley in at about 2 inches. I didnt really know how deep to put them 
was only going a slow steady speed and quite slow uphill. Life would be much easier on the flat Got some reseeding to do soon so will try it mich shallower then. Its even a flat field so rhe tractor should find it much easier.
Sprayer 1
Member
- Location
- Tarporley, Cheshire.
We are on our second year and the land was wet enough in 1st week of October in Cheshire. Using the simtech the crops look ok in the main bit of the field, but most of the headlands where you turn with the drill are either thin or bare.. I think it is probably where the drill tractor has pressed down but maybe some deep compaction although it was ok the year previous. My main concern is that I am using a lot more seed to get the same amount of plants as when I as combi drilling. cannot yet work out why germination is suffering, but on the whole, worm numbers are increasing and fields were drier in the winter so we will keep persevering .
SilliamWhale
Member
12-13 years now. Still make mistakes but still here.