1st trial of DD this spring, good idea or bad?

[DieselRob]

Would it be fair to draw conclusions from machinery demos across all types (disc, tine, strip till) this spring?

I had got it in to my head that it would be the best time to trial different systems but coming from a plough/min till (in rotation) system to no till would the soil be in a fair condition to do it.

I don't have a lot of options to play with this spring, 1st 1 is spring beans in to WB stubble (straw removed) which was ploughed to establish the barley, machinery traffic hasn't been too bad. 2nd option is 4yr grass ley in to WW/SB, grazed/trafficked over the last 4 years

Any advice much appreciated

 

[clbarclay]

I expect you will be able to draw some conclusions, just be careful of what the significant differences you will end up comparing are.

If you plant as early into conditions where you would normally cultivate, creating big voids underneath that excess water can be hidden in, as well as create a black surface to head up quickly and encourage moisture loss to dry it out, then soil conditions may well be far more significant than the differences between any of the no till drills.

I am hoping this year doesn't try to replicate 2 years ago when the weather suddenly switched from just wet to just dry. Fields were rather variable with patches still to wet while large areas were already becoming too dry and a lack of rain after drilling was a big problem. I was using an old unidrill then and it did struggle with the conditions varying a lot during many bouts. I waiting to see if a GD will cope better with that or if I decide to tine drill instead.

 

[Fish]

By all means get demos, unfortunately there more to dd than different flavours of drills.

As well as demos I would see if there are any local farms practicing dd and go and have look, you will probably learn as much as a demo.
In my wee patch of north Yorks, there's guys running, Claydon, Moore, GD, 750s, horsch.

 

[DieselRob]

Of course I understand that there is more to it than the colour of the drill but having been interested in CA and DD for some time now I feel I'm in a position to actually start and look at what type of drill will suit my farm. I'm not just going to buy a drill because the colour will look good behind my tractor.

My question is more about is this the right year to actually start and look at it due to the condition of the soils after a lot of rain over the last 6 months, it's ok saying go and look at other farms but depending on how far down the no till route they are is going to make it look completely different to how it is going to be at home in the 1st few years, surely I've got to try it here to see it first hand

 

[Fish]

Of course I understand that there is more to it than the colour of the drill but having been interested in CA and DD for some time now I feel I'm in a position to actually start and look at what type of drill will suit my farm. I'm not just going to buy a drill because the colour will look good behind my tractor.

My question is more about is this the right year to actually start and look at it due to the condition of the soils after a lot of rain over the last 6 months, it's ok saying go and look at other farms but depending on how far down the no till route they are is going to make it look completely different to how it is going to be at home in the 1st few years, surely I've got to try it here to see it first hand

Ok, sounds like you have all the bases covered, weather this year is good year to start, who knows, only time will tell, it is what it is, to start, you first godda start.
Of the two scenarios, I would start with the beans.
Good luck.

 

[Chae1]

Would it be fair to draw conclusions from machinery demos across all types (disc, tine, strip till) this spring?

I had got it in to my head that it would be the best time to trial different systems but coming from a plough/min till (in rotation) system to no till would the soil be in a fair condition to do it.

I don't have a lot of options to play with this spring, 1st 1 is spring beans in to WB stubble (straw removed) which was ploughed to establish the barley, machinery traffic hasn't been too bad. 2nd option is 4yr grass ley in to WW/SB, grazed/trafficked over the last 4 years

Any advice much appreciated

Did you put a cover crop in after winter barley?

 

[DieselRob]

Did you put a cover crop in after winter barley?

No unfortunately not, this is probably my biggest regret but as catchy as harvest was time just got away from me when I should've been drilling it.

 

[Samcowman]

In a similar situation here having our first proper trial of DD spring beans after winter barley but did manage to grow a decent cover crop of mustard, oats, volunteer barley and Phacelia. Sprayed off a couple of day ago going to do one field conventional establishment with a plough and the other some drilled straight into the standing cover some topped.
Should be interesting and looking for any tips I can get for it.

 

[DieselRob]

In a similar situation here having our first proper trial of DD spring beans after winter barley but did manage to grow a decent cover crop of mustard, oats, volunteer barley and Phacelia. Sprayed off a couple of day ago going to do one field conventional establishment with a plough and the other some drilled straight into the standing cover some topped.
Should be interesting and looking for any tips I can get for it.

What type of drill are you planning on using?

 

[Samcowman]

What type of drill are you planning on using?

Horsch Avatar

Took this last week from the field edge. Less greenery underneath the mustard out in the middle

 

[Chae1]

No unfortunately not, this is probably my biggest regret but as catchy as harvest was time just got away from me when I should've been drilling it.

I don't think it would be a good year to try it after wet autumn/winter.

I saw a big difference in soil structure after 2018/dry year and think after that would have been good time to start.

Please keep us posted whatever you decide to do. Be particularly interested in spring barley after 4 year ley. I always find fields coming out of grass very hard. Its a struggle to keep plough in ground.

 

[yellow belly]

I went full notill after 2012
we did cultivating in the 2012 summer and planted some wheat after cultivation on rape stubble
half was redrilled with spring barley with no cultivation
since 2012 after rape with no cultivations the crops are better than when cultivated with no slug pellets
in the spring of 2013 spring beans planted notill into chopped straw stubbles were the best crop
spring rape after failed winter rape yielded higher than winter rape ( not growing ra[e now due to flea beetle

the rule of thumb is 2 weeks later in the spring but 2 weeks earlier in the autumn

do not be pressured by seeing cultivated land being drilled when your soil is too wet for the drill to work
notill needs a different mindset in terms of when to drill and when not to
the longer land is notill the easier it gets not sure if this is due to more experience and more confidence that it is right or that the soil is better

 

[Fish]

Be particularly interested in spring barley after 4 year ley. I always find fields coming out of grass very hard. Its a struggle to keep plough in ground.

DD into sprayed off grass can be tricky, read the ‘two Simons theory’

 

[Chae1]

DD into sprayed off grass can be tricky, read the ‘two Simons theory’

I would have imagined it would have been the best place to start.

Soil structure had several years to restructure without being disturbed by cultivation. Big root mass from grass, plenty organic matter. Most grass mixtures have clover so plenty nitrogen producing nodules.

Think Clive does it but would calciprill down the spout with seed offset the 2 simons theory.

 

[Samcowman]

the rule of thumb is 2 weeks later in the spring but 2 weeks later in the autumn

You mean 2 weeks earlier in the autumn don’t you??

 

[AF Salers]

@Chae1 DD into a grass ley is fine in my experience, but better off not going in with a cereal, i normally follow a ley with sp beans. The bigger seed is less susceptible to the two simon's problems and avoids a lot of the other pest issues ex grass.

 

[yellow belly]

You mean 2 weeks earlier in the autumn don’t you??

Yes typo which I cannot now edit

 

[Shutesy]

Yes typo which I cannot now edit

Sorted

 

[Michael S]

DD into sprayed off grass can be tricky, read the ‘two Simons theory’

I have drilled wheat into sprayed off grass seed crops in autumn 2018 and 2019 with 25m3/ha pig slurry applied as soon as possible after the grass crop is harvested and so far so good, but it is after 2 years of grass.