Break crop for grass reseed.

Humble Village Farmer

Member
BASE UK Member
Location
Essex
It's unproductive pp at the moment. One option would be to DD beans and use kerb, or grow a cover crop before drilling something in the spring to get 2 hits with glyphosate.

There's going to be a load of seed waiting for an opportunity and probably creepy crawlies as well.

I don't want to plough which makes things a bit more complicated.

Any ideas?
 

tr250

Member
Location
Northants
It's unproductive pp at the moment. One option would be to DD beans and use kerb, or grow a cover crop before drilling something in the spring to get 2 hits with glyphosate.

There's going to be a load of seed waiting for an opportunity and probably creepy crawlies as well.

I don't want to plough which makes things a bit more complicated.

Any ideas?
Why is it unproductive? Is the ph p/k right has it been grazed right. In my opinion not many fields need re seeding it’s the management in previous years that caused pasture to be un productive. If your not careful you could spend on re seeding and still have an un productive ley but one that’s cost you a lot and cause a lot more weeds to grow
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
If you can utilise it, a brassica pioneer crop for grazing copes well with those creepy crawlies and with the acidic conditions from the sward breaking down. It will also act as a fantastic soil conditioner, so the following grass ley can usually be direct drilled, assuming the ground doesn’t need levelling.

If there are deeper compaction issues, run a low disturbance subsoiler/swardlifter through it before the brassicas.
 

Humble Village Farmer

Member
BASE UK Member
Location
Essex
If it's rough permanent pasture at the moment, I would soil test it first, then spray it off and put in a brassica in all honesty. You won't regret it.

Could use a bit of weed control in between to clean the ground up.

If it is really that dirty, sow the brassicas in August, eat over winter and put spring barley or even spring wheat in.
Thanks. Am I wrong in thinking that brassica would be vulnerable to pest attack like wireworm or leather jacket?
 
Thanks. Am I wrong in thinking that brassica would be vulnerable to pest attack like wireworm or leather jacket?

Can't remember with leather jackets, I've not known wireworm attack brassicas. Frit fly also seem to leave them alone. The next grass crop will be better for a break as well.

Main issue with brassica type crops is watching the pigeons don't eat them and the odd slug attack but rarely an issue in the warmer months when the soil is warm- the seed germinates and grows like a plague and outruns most things.

Soil test first though.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Can't remember with leather jackets, I've not known wireworm attack brassicas. Frit fly also seem to leave them alone. The next grass crop will be better for a break as well.

Main issue with brassica type crops is watching the pigeons don't eat them and the odd slug attack but rarely an issue in the warmer months when the soil is warm- the seed germinates and grows like a plague and outruns most things.

Soil test first though.

You forgot flea beetle as well.😡
 
You forgot flea beetle as well.😡

To be honest in all the forage crops I ever saw I think we used to get a bit anal about seeing the first few plants being nibbled and try to spray them. Within a week the plants were 3 times the size and going for it anyway. IF you have a crop get zipped within the first 10 days of emerging I reckon it is largely bad luck but I've never seen it. Sowing from July onward, or into September, the soil is so warm the stuff seemed to grow like a plague.
 

hally

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
cumbria
Sorry to jump slightly off tangent but what do people use to loosen up hard compacted stubbles before direct drilling?
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
To be honest in all the forage crops I ever saw I think we used to get a bit anal about seeing the first few plants being nibbled and try to spray them. Within a week the plants were 3 times the size and going for it anyway. IF you have a crop get zipped within the first 10 days of emerging I reckon it is largely bad luck but I've never seen it. Sowing from July onward, or into September, the soil is so warm the stuff seemed to grow like a plague.

I have had both swede and maincrop turnip crops effectively wiped out by flea beetles, drilled ahead of rain, and into warm soil in June. They can clear a field in a few days in the right conditions.

Plenty of OSR crops that are abandoned every year now too, even after going through several times with insecticide.:(
 
I have had both swede and maincrop turnip crops effectively wiped out by flea beetles, drilled ahead of rain, and into warm soil in June. They can clear a field in a few days in the right conditions.

Plenty of OSR crops that are abandoned every year now too, even after going through several times with insecticide.:(

The insecticide doesn't work and I don't believe it worked very well back when I used it to be honest.

Just one of those pests we have to live with now I guess.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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