AHL2 - Winter Bird Food

[barr11]

Hoping someone could help me here. Tried searching and looking back through all the info on here but that much it becomes overwhelming.

Ahl1, could this be sown in the next month for arguments sake, to meet the aims for flowering may - August, then planted with a wheat crop this coming autumn? Also can it be done on a full field scale or is it just strips/plots?

Guidance isn’t overly clear. Probably already been answered but as said struggling to find it. Clearly not a popular option.

 

[Zippy768]

Hoping someone could help me here. Tried searching and looking back through all the info on here but that much it becomes overwhelming.

Ahl1, could this be sown in the next month for arguments sake, to meet the aims for flowering may - August, then planted with a wheat crop this coming autumn? Also can it be done on a full field scale or is it just strips/plots?

Guidance isn’t overly clear. Probably already been answered but as said struggling to find it. Clearly not a popular option.

I would had thought it's quite a popular option, especially after the ahl2 thing.

Guidance isn't overly clear......which is great .

Yes it can be done (hope so cos I'm doing it!).
Save you alot of agro. Alot of the mix that they require is biennial. So mixes will have to be creative I'm order to flower the first year.

No limit to acerage

 

[Andy26]

Hoping someone could help me here. Tried searching and looking back through all the info on here but that much it becomes overwhelming.

Ahl1, could this be sown in the next month for arguments sake, to meet the aims for flowering may - August, then planted with a wheat crop this coming autumn? Also can it be done on a full field scale or is it just strips/plots?

Guidance isn’t overly clear. Probably already been answered but as said struggling to find it. Clearly not a popular option.

Trickier to establish, I've done a similar option in mid tier and took a lot of work to establish, the only flowering things I had in the first summer were thistles.

I think many are going to try and do as you suggest, if the weather is kind may work.

 

[theboytheboy]

Has anyone ever found a 3 year ahl2 mix?

If you have, how well did it work......or is it not realistic and just have to accept it will need re-establishment every year or after the 2nd year

 

[Rossymons]

Has anyone ever found a 3 year ahl2 mix?

If you have how well didn't work......or is it not realistic and just have to accept it will need re-establishment every year or after the 2nd year

2 year mix and wing it on the third is what I'm thinking about a neighbour has told me

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Theres going to be some damn fat birds about ,i can see them not getting off the ground , my mate having saud he wasnt doing aby us putting 200 acres in
Would a million acres be a fair estimate

 

[serf]

Theres going to be some damn fat birds about ,i can see them not getting off the ground , my mate having saud he wasnt doing aby us putting 200 acres in
Would a million acres be a fair estimate

It'll be plague and black death next from all the rats ...

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I dont begrudge anyone claiming it , make hay while the sun shines , but its nothing short if insane

 

[Clive]

so what’s a minimum soil temp to get this established ? getting itchy feet and think next dry window we get on

 

[Clive]

It'll be plague and black death next from all the rats ...

raptor numbers will rise significantly - that’s what we saw here when rats / miles / mice numbers increased under no till

 

[BenAdamsAgri]

so what’s a minimum soil temp to get this established ? getting itchy feet and think next dry window we get on

At least 10-12, no rush yet

 

[alomy75]

so what’s a minimum soil temp to get this established ? getting itchy feet and think next dry window we get on

I’ve been doing ab9 for some years now and rarely have success drilling before June

 

[Clive]

I’ve been doing ab9 for some years now and rarely have success drilling before June

too late - i want flowers by then and will be destroying it in late september

i think april when as @BenAdamsAgri suggests we are into double digit soil temps

will hold off on the glyphosate on the osr and winter beans for now !

 

[Andy26]

too late - i want flowers by then and will be destroying it in late september

i think april when as @BenAdamsAgri suggests we are into double digit soil temps

will hold off on the glyphosate on the osr and winter beans for now !

Your talking about AHL1, I would think a little early still.

 

[Clive]

Your talking about AHL1, I would think a little early still.

oh yes - getting my ALH's mixed up ! it a bit like learning a new language this

 

[Derrick Hughes]

so what’s a minimum soil temp to get this established ? getting itchy feet and think next dry window we get on

Soil temp is about there , needs to be over 8 , but best wait until start of April
You need tp do an 8 day soil test to be sure though, not many will drill Maizeyet

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Litchfield soil temp
You can sow clover at 8
Late frost could be an isue here that could kill young seedlings so wouuld not sow until april with small seeds

 

[Andy26]

Theres going to be some damn fat birds about ,i can see them not getting off the ground , my mate having saud he wasnt doing aby us putting 200 acres in
Would a million acres be a fair estimate

Its not all about the birds, it's also to:

'encourage flowering plants in the summer, which will benefit insects including bumblebees, solitary bees, butterflies and hoverflies'

Add in all the other benefits, carbon, soil health etc., all good.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Its not all about the birds, it's also to:

'encourage flowering plants in the summer, which will benefit insects including bumblebees, solitary bees, butterflies and hoverflies'

Add in all the other benefits, carbon, soil health etc., all good.

Im referinng to Winter Bird Food
Was that not brought in as headland strips , not vast acres
One could say when they cant find money for social care but they can spend millions to drop seed on the ground to feed starlings and crows then we have our priorities wrong , having said that if i had the chance i would claim every penny i could and good luck to those who are

 

[DrWazzock]

I’ve thought about this option. Other than for maybe an acre or two well away from residences , it’s unacceptable from a vermin point of view IMO. I can’t see how it won’t get swamped in rubbish here either.
I’m doing herbal leys instead. At least the sheep can keep them tidy and I think they’ll last longer before they need a reseed.
Raptor numbers won’t increase rapidly enough to avoid a serious nuisance with rats. We’ve seen it before with 20 acres of very late harvested spring barley. The village was plagued with rats. It was unacceptable and I can see a backlash from the public over this. They are paying for a rodent infestation. Hardly a public good is it? Madness really.