limestone brash
Member
I think the difference is moisture
Headland is shaded by a wood in an area that is usually wet and doesn’t grow
The main ‘beneficial’ here is rain
On my stubbles there are hundreds of rooks and pigeons
Csfb only come out at night so avoid birdsa but there are many spider and rove beetles still too many csfb
Need a seed dressing that stays on the seedling and works for 3 weeks
If csfb gets to the point no one can grow rape the nectar loving insects will die out due to lack of abundant food
If you want to seriously improve the numbers of bees then the area of nectar producing crops needs to be 25% of land or more an acre or 2 of nectar mix gets worked out too quickly to address numbers of beesI’m planting lots of nectar flower plots and floristically enhanced margins under CS. There will be plenty of pollinators here. Hopefully some beneficial insects and other predators too.
What about linseed, does this fit in?. I would love to reseed margins with a more bee friendly environment but having had my knuckles wrapped for creating a flowering meadow in what was a field corner I am wary now. meadow is great now, just wish I didn't have to leave it so long before I topped it as it spends the winter providing no cover for any thing.If you want to seriously improve the numbers of bees then the area of nectar producing crops needs to be 25% of land or more an acre or 2 of nectar mix gets worked out too quickly to address numbers of bees
35% of land in rape and beans
My local bee farmer has produced 8.5 tonnes from 250 hives this year
He could double that with borage and spring rape if farmers would grow it
Imho if we had a spring rape herbicide that guaranteed weed free crops we could multiply the pollinators 10 times
This is available in the Europe free world and the seed crushed in European crushing plants
Linseed produce very little nectarWhat about linseed, does this fit in?. I would love to reseed margins with a more bee friendly environment but having had my knuckles wrapped for creating a flowering meadow in what was a field corner I am wary now. meadow is great now, just wish I didn't have to leave it so long before I topped it as it spends the winter providing no cover for any thing.
@yellow belly 8500KG = 18500LBS approx.If you want to seriously improve the numbers of bees then the area of nectar producing crops needs to be 25% of land or more an acre or 2 of nectar mix gets worked out too quickly to address numbers of bees
35% of land in rape and beans
My local bee farmer has produced 8.5 tonnes from 250 hives this year
He could double that with borage and spring rape if farmers would grow it
Imho if we had a spring rape herbicide that guaranteed weed free crops we could multiply the pollinators 10 times
This is available in the Europe free world and the seed crushed in European crushing plants
If he would pay you would grow it.....If you want to seriously improve the numbers of bees then the area of nectar producing crops needs to be 25% of land or more an acre or 2 of nectar mix gets worked out too quickly to address numbers of bees
35% of land in rape and beans
My local bee farmer has produced 8.5 tonnes from 250 hives this year
He could double that with borage and spring rape if farmers would grow it
Imho if we had a spring rape herbicide that guaranteed weed free crops we could multiply the pollinators 10 times
This is available in the Europe free world and the seed crushed in European crushing plants
@Flat 10 Why the hunger for a middle man?If he would pay you would grow it.....
an acre and a half per hive if the nectar flows@yellow belly 8500KG = 18500LBS approx.
Premium product at £4-6 lb = £74k - £111k. How much area do they need?
If he would pay you would grow it.....
Now thats the sort of livestock @Flat 10 needs to get into, no big fancy sheds to build.@yellow belly 8500KG = 18500LBS approx.
Premium product at £4-6 lb = £74k - £111k. How much area do they need?
Late night trying to knock off some flea beetles that are still shredding osr. Had to treat everything not already done. Sown last week in August but the plants are like skeletons an inch wide.
View attachment 720792
When will you decide to keep the crop or not? I drilled from the 1st to the 7th September, first drilled suffering badly last drilled untouched so far.
Not sure the first drilled will make it, even after 23mm rain over the weekend
Have you had the 2 cold mornings we have had this week? If so, do you think it has slowed them down any?Everything will make it so far, if it grows away & I can get 4 true leaves on it before December then keep the pigeons off. Assuming the CSFB larvae don't write the stems off in March as they emerge it should be ok. Started drilling Bank Holiday weekend before 2" of rain. This got hammered early on but has now got away. Most went in the following week 28/8 to 1/9 & has been eaten over the last 10 days while the wind was howling so couldn't spray. 1" of rain last weekend has helped the crop but the buggers are still at it. Last field sown 6/9 being hit hard too.
Not good, was hoping it would slow them down a lot. Still managing on one spray to date but know I am riding my luck. My own is almost clear,needs another drink mind. Contract HEAR rape is a bit more worrying.5 degrees last night and you could see them jumping around in the crop from the tractor cab! Maybe that was just keeping them warm?????