Astrokerb.

[Cutlerstom]

Somebody had a video from this year's crop where they ran out of companion seed n that part of the field got hit by pigeons n the part with vetch didn't get touched ,.

Be interesting to see. I have a control strip in field with no companions

 

[juke]

Be interesting to see. I have a control strip in field with no companions

We have a control too, the neighbours adjacent field , so far the pigeons haven't bothered ours too much will have to look over the hedge sometime soon...
The other reason I gathered for later vetch termination is the nitrogen release in the early spring when the osr is thinking about starting to grow. don't want to lose that free nitrogen if at all possible, I am just guessing at that more than any science for any leaching away

 

[Cutlerstom]

In my (limited) experience, the sooner you kill a cover crop, the more likely you are to benefit from the captured nutrients as they take a while to break down, otherwise the benefit comes in the crop 2 after. But nobody seems to know this for sure

 

[dontknowanything]

Will you put quite so much companion crop in your osr seed mix next year?

No

 

[dontknowanything]

Somebody had a video from this year's crop where they ran out of companion seed n that part of the field got hit by pigeons n the part with vetch didn't get touched ,.

http://thriplow-farms.co.uk/2016/02/03/stop-the-pigeon/

 

[juke]

http://thriplow-farms.co.uk/2016/02/03/stop-the-pigeon/

which variety of vetch did you use

 

[Brisel]

Here's what Astrokerb does to vetch & berseem clover

 

[Longneck]

Whats the best option to get rid of some spring beans as a companion in OSR? The frost has taken everything else out but the beans are still going strong. Is Astrokerb the only option?

 

[York]

just a suggestion:
frost roling with a cambridge roler...
York-Th.

 

[Badshot]

Whats the best option to get rid of some spring beans as a companion in OSR? The frost has taken everything else out but the beans are still going strong. Is Astrokerb the only option?

Galera maybe? Think it has to have two years clear before growing beans so...........

 

[franklin]

Astrokerb has destroyed the beans growing in my crop of OSR.

 

[Longneck]

just a suggestion:
frost roling with a cambridge roler...
York-Th.

I did wonder about this, would it not harm the osr?

 

[Longneck]

Galera maybe? Think it has to have two years clear before growing beans so...........

Would like to wait till galera time if I could but I’m worried they will have completely smothered the rape by then.

 

[York]

I did wonder about this, would it not harm the osr?

It's worth a trial, or not?
Both have very different growing patterns. I would never start with whole fields with such an approach. always my own local experience is more valid than any recommendations.
York-Th.

 

[Brisel]

You’d best be quick about it. The cut off date for Astrokerb is the end of January

 

[RTK Farmer]

Whats the best option to get rid of some spring beans as a companion in OSR? The frost has taken everything else out but the beans are still going strong. Is Astrokerb the only option?

Did mine on Dec 16th, yes there is rape in there!

 

[SilliamWhale]

What temperature can I astrokerb in? First dry days for 2 months but a bit frosty. Thawing now. Get it on?

 

[Richard III]

View attachment 619094 View attachment 619098

Did mine on Dec 16th, yes there is rape in there!

No pigeon patrol for you this winter then!

 

[Longneck]

I’ve just rolled them in the frost this morning so we’ll see how it turns out. Fairly confident the rape didn’t get harmed.