- Location
- somerset
time has come, again, for autumn re-seeds. Interested to know what, farmers are planning variety wise.
Had some interesting discussions, recently with seed reps. We have had an awful 3dry summers, on the trot, and grass, has been very short, both in quantity and life !
Rep in this morning, basically suggesting, that with the trial plots grown, all you get, is a scientist, checking, temp, moisture and growth, every day, and weighing each cut. Fine, but that result, is for that particular place, weather, and moisture, and can only represent, that soil type etc, and probably sown, and kept, in 'ideal' conditions, i expect most of us realise that.
The chat, then went onto germination rate, which is fine, in a manicured ideal plot, but could easily be down to 50% in field conditions, then, if true, you could be down to 7 kg seed/acre, which would explain a lot of thin/poor reseeds. True, in a ideal condition field, 14kg/acre would be fine. But, in less than ideal, weather, soil condition, how it's sown etc, 14 kg, could be as low as 7 kg, big difference. As we have done, many farmers, have upped the seed rate, some as high as 20kg, we are 16 kg.
Then went onto why, 14kg is the 'recommended' rate, and not higher, answer was simple, if price for acre packs, at 14 kg, £60, as quoted by most places, and they put 18 kg, at £100, they wouldn't sell much ! One reason, a lot of grass seed, is now sold in 20/25 kg bags.
It's an interesting point of view, and very different to common thought. Then, went onto other examples, of various products, that only achieve their effectiveness, when used exactly as directed, perhaps not as normal farm use. Most of this, is down to increasing the efficiency of product, achieved, in a lab, but not necessarily on farm !
Back to grass, our new leys this year, have been thin, but are now, quite thick, it's weed grasses, that have grown up, in the 'thin' bits, which broached the point, is it better, to have a % of weed grasses, in a pasture, that grow, in adverse conditions, or a high % of ryegrass, that don't ! Huge amount of interest, in chickory,plantain, herbal leys, but little actually ordered.
Wonder what the 2 seed people, on TFF think !
Had some interesting discussions, recently with seed reps. We have had an awful 3dry summers, on the trot, and grass, has been very short, both in quantity and life !
Rep in this morning, basically suggesting, that with the trial plots grown, all you get, is a scientist, checking, temp, moisture and growth, every day, and weighing each cut. Fine, but that result, is for that particular place, weather, and moisture, and can only represent, that soil type etc, and probably sown, and kept, in 'ideal' conditions, i expect most of us realise that.
The chat, then went onto germination rate, which is fine, in a manicured ideal plot, but could easily be down to 50% in field conditions, then, if true, you could be down to 7 kg seed/acre, which would explain a lot of thin/poor reseeds. True, in a ideal condition field, 14kg/acre would be fine. But, in less than ideal, weather, soil condition, how it's sown etc, 14 kg, could be as low as 7 kg, big difference. As we have done, many farmers, have upped the seed rate, some as high as 20kg, we are 16 kg.
Then went onto why, 14kg is the 'recommended' rate, and not higher, answer was simple, if price for acre packs, at 14 kg, £60, as quoted by most places, and they put 18 kg, at £100, they wouldn't sell much ! One reason, a lot of grass seed, is now sold in 20/25 kg bags.
It's an interesting point of view, and very different to common thought. Then, went onto other examples, of various products, that only achieve their effectiveness, when used exactly as directed, perhaps not as normal farm use. Most of this, is down to increasing the efficiency of product, achieved, in a lab, but not necessarily on farm !
Back to grass, our new leys this year, have been thin, but are now, quite thick, it's weed grasses, that have grown up, in the 'thin' bits, which broached the point, is it better, to have a % of weed grasses, in a pasture, that grow, in adverse conditions, or a high % of ryegrass, that don't ! Huge amount of interest, in chickory,plantain, herbal leys, but little actually ordered.
Wonder what the 2 seed people, on TFF think !
He wasn't happy, we won't mention the carp in his bag either.
