Are good cover crops a dream in UK?

[Baling Hay]

With our later harvests especially in a wet year is establishing cover crops after winter wheat really a waste of time? I could see them taking off very well after WOSR or winter barley but some places never get their wheat combined till September. OSR never really does well planted in september so would cover crops suffer the same fate?

Would a more varied rotation provide just as much benefit apart from the soil cover over winter?

 

[Andrew K]

Best done for spring crops IMO, little time in autumn as you say.

 

[Baling Hay]

Best done for spring crops IMO, little time in autumn as you say.

Well I wasn't really implying them be used at all for autumn drilled crops. I was rather stating that even put in mid september say and kept in all winter before drilling a spring crop would you really get much winter growth to justify them?

 

[JNG]

For me cover crops only post w barley, too late to establish anything of note after ww, might drill in some home saved oats from the heap or just leave volunteers. Planting any legumes must be done by 10 aug at the latest to get established IMO.

 

[Great In Grass]

@JNG any sight of the oilseed radish?

 

[JNG]

@JNG any sight of the oilseed radish?

Only planted a few in a tub (10 * 4foot) last week and are mixed with red + crimson clover and some left over linseed, just emerging now , leaving house in 20 mins for cereals will take a photo when back. will do a field trial post w barley.

 

[Great In Grass]

Only planted a few in a tub (10 * 4foot) last week and are mixed with red + crimson clover and some left over linseed, just emerging now , leaving house in 20 mins for cereals will take a photo when back. will do a field trial post w barley.

Keep us posted, have a great time at cereals, I'm off to Scotland for two weeks.

 

[JNG]

@JNG any sight of the oilseed radish?

A few picture to send you on your hols

 

[yellow belly]

I auto cast mustard one year when combining in early august it was in full flower by October and was said to be rape in flower when seen from the road

 

[The Ruminant]

I auto cast mustard one year when combining in early august it was in full flower by October and was said to be rape in flower when seen from the road

I'm going to try spreading a little seed into standing crop this year to see how it chits.