50% 1st wheat 50% fallow/cover/stubble

I

ifindoubtflatout

Member
I’m planning on going 50% first wheat and 50% something else... non cash crop... I was thinking of just leaving stubble and perhaps subsoiling and preparing land early ( July) so it’s ready to drill at optimum time

suggestions for an easy/cheap catch crop that would build fertility and regenerate soil instead of plain old stubble

reason for this plan is to reduce workload so I can work off farm ( which makes far more money than farming).

thanks in advance
 
W

warksfarmer

Member
ifindoubtflatout said:
I’m planning on going 50% first wheat and 50% something else... non cash crop... I was thinking of just leaving stubble and perhaps subsoiling and preparing land early ( July) so it’s ready to drill at optimum time

suggestions for an easy/cheap catch crop that would build fertility and regenerate soil instead of plain old stubble

reason for this plan is to reduce workload so I can work off farm ( which makes far more money than farming).

thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Yep this is the future inside ELMS. The pilot is working well and we all need to understand our cropped area is going to halve in the next 5-7 years unless you go full organic, there’s no future for current cropping systems in this country. ELMS is the retirement package that also ticks the UK’s global carbon emission position.
 
Brisel

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Ignoring stewardship/ELMS for a minute, a multi species cover crop mix would be good but bear in mind that it will be September sown, so species choice is limited. Depending on your weed burden, you may find that you need to terminate grasses like black grass & brome in late April just as your solar/carbon harvesting really needs to ramp up. I suggest that you might consider spraying it off and establishing a more diverse seed mix to see you through to July but beware of the cover running to seed & more weeds establishing if you have disturbed the soil to resow.

I will get shot down for this, but it would be worth considering DD as a method of establishing cover crops & the following wheat? Time will not be on your side after cutting the wheat.
 
L

Lincsman

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
After last year, by accident I have discovered ploughing a year in advance, ie Oct 2019 then discing around june 2020, and drilling Nov 2020 has been ideal, weathering makes the seedbed and a quick pre drill spray cleaned up any blackgrass, the crops look a picture and even this morning no waterlogging.

Hopefully with ELMS I can roll this out over the whole farm.
 
Brisel

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Lincsman said:
After last year, by accident I have discovered ploughing a year in advance, ie Oct 2019 then discing around june 2020, and drilling Nov 2020 has been ideal, weathering makes the seedbed and a quick pre drill spray cleaned up any blackgrass, the crops look a picture and even this morning no waterlogging.

Hopefully with ELMS I can roll this out over the whole farm.
Click to expand...

So, you think the taxpayer will help you leave bare soil for 12 months?????
 

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