Yes I think we knew this. I took on some land that had moderate BG and had been winter cropped for over a decade. I decided on double spring cropping and in the second year I already have lots of spring germinating stuff…
Blackgrass chemical attack
- Thread starter warksfarmer
- Start date
Definitely have changed it to spring germinating, we had the same with wild oats. Change of tack this autumn drill earlier (third wk sept) if any comes by mid oct will try some atlantis when it's really small, the fft and dff end nov/ dec the top up with max rate of fft as late in jan as legally allowed, will it work ? Who knows but if the seed is still on the surface it's worth a go, something needs to change and open mind and farmers doing something different might work.
yellow belly
Member
- Location
- south west lincolnshire
a proportion of theBg seed bank has always been spring germinating if conditions are right bg will germinate but not all of it
this year the wet May has allowed it to germinate ,survive and thrive
If the temperature stays high the bg that is now in flower will mature with low dormancy
because Bg produces so many seeds over several months it always has some seeds that germinate when conditions are favourable 12 months of the year
burying them also Lengthens their life in the soil
this year the wet May has allowed it to germinate ,survive and thrive
If the temperature stays high the bg that is now in flower will mature with low dormancy
because Bg produces so many seeds over several months it always has some seeds that germinate when conditions are favourable 12 months of the year
burying them also Lengthens their life in the soil
GeorgeK
Member
- Location
- Leicestershire
We need to get away from spreading seeds over the field with combines, those ducts that dump chaff in the wheelings look a good idea. Below are two neighbouring fields that had been cultivated after harvest. RH side is a lawn of BG, LH side is recently ploughed grass and was clean. Dirty side was combined first, the green strip up the side of the clean field is BG blown over the hedge by the combine and wind. The combine then went out the dirty field and along the bottom of the clean field also leaving a stripe of BG. You can see how easily and quickly it spreads.
yellow belly
Member
- Location
- south west lincolnshire
a lot of bg has shed seed before the combine gets near but enough is left for the combine to spread it aboutWe need to get away from spreading seeds over the field with combines, those ducts that dump chaff in the wheelings look a good idea. Below are two neighbouring fields that had been cultivated after harvest. RH side is a lawn of BG, LH side is recently ploughed grass and was clean. Dirty side was combined first, the green strip up the side of the clean field is BG blown over the hedge by the combine and wind. The combine then went out the dirty field and along the bottom of the clean field also leaving a stripe of BG. You can see how easily and quickly it spreads.
- Location
- Essex
It's what we're doing that the blackgrass likes so much.
The question is how to grow crops in such a way as to disadvantage the black grass and still get the crop away to a good start.
The question is how to grow crops in such a way as to disadvantage the black grass and still get the crop away to a good start.
Don’t prepare a seedbed, as soon as you have you need to wait until it’s flushed fully. Just drill low disturbance.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Plough behind the combine. Level with power harrow. Sit back, light pipe. Spray off on 23rd October. Seed off heap. If it drills ace. If not no bother, come back with barley in April. Put in ground. 360g flufenacet. Go on holiday and don't touch until the daffodils flower.
Hindsight
Member
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Wasn't sure whether to 'like' or 'love' both would be appropriate. any particular holiday destination? warm, sunny and preferably far way from the Lincolnshire winter ??
That's fine where you have the right drill and soil structure. Most have not yet got that status.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
As far I'm concerned, early plough & power harrow leaves the best chance for late drilling. The direct drilling option requires early drilling here. So it's one or the other. And if you're forced by weather not to drill, does a sad worked seedbed, or stubbles allow you a better chance to get spring barley in? Historically I've gone into stubbles in spring three times - one year was mid may before it dried up. One year it went in fine then rotted after excess rain. The other time the yield was just cack.
Other option is to subsoil and roll stubbles for a spring crop.
Other option is to subsoil and roll stubbles for a spring crop.
Hindsight
Member
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Read the ADAS and Letcombe reports from 1970s. Cover cropping is a new technique which wasn't investigated at that time, but I suggest the principles in those tomes of yesteryear still hold substantial practical relevanc and truth.
The 1971 'Strutt Report' Modern Farming and the Soil is also essential reading. I lent my copy out in January. Your post reminds me to gently ask the borrower for its return.
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Best chance for late drilling here is plough and combi drill on the same day once you have got into Nov. However that gets no BG flush and creates difficult conditions to get the pre-em on.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Indeed. Not an option here.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
The cheapest and most vigorous cover crop for me would be to, at some point in my system, broadcast spring oats.
And the best flush of BG / stale seedbed / late drilling I can remember was either replacing failed osr or redrilling weedy wheat. Both were in late November and into essentially a prepared seedbed with a cover crop ......albeit a very expensive cover crop!
I shall add that reading to my bedtime literature.