Broadcast Turnips in Standing Maize

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
Are you paying for seed and/or broadcasting? If it’s a wet autumn; maize fields resemble the Somme... soon destroy the crop!
But with cheapish seed and the fact that it might be a good soil condition and prompt harvest would be worth the risk?

Ir reckon the use of drones ( for practical things not just playing / taking photos ) is going to take off soon pu n intended....:sneaky:
 
I guess you could try and broadcast the seed on but the herbicides from maize are going to attack them and then there is the shading option. Trailers and forager will put paid to the rest.

If it's dry, you can get a grass ley in behind maize.
 

TrewithickFarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cornwall
You'd need to know what herbicide the maize has been sprayed with as with most maize herbicides, you need to plough or at least move some soil before planting grass seed due to herbicide residues. Turnips definitely wouldn't grow in a layer of undisturbed herbicide. Personally, even if they did grow i think the machinery would do far too much damage to the turnips, even in a dry harvest.
 
You'd need to know what herbicide the maize has been sprayed with as with most maize herbicides, you need to plough or at least move some soil before planting grass seed due to herbicide residues. Turnips definitely wouldn't grow in a layer of undisturbed herbicide. Personally, even if they did grow i think the machinery would do far too much damage to the turnips, even in a dry harvest.

Used to use subsoiler and powerharrow to level up then grass seed harrow box thing. Only short term italians though. No slug pressure behind maize so easy to get them going.
 

DanM

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Herefordshire
But with cheapish seed and the fact that it might be a good soil condition and prompt harvest would be worth the risk?

Ir reckon the use of drones ( for practical things not just playing / taking photos ) is going to take off soon pu n intended....:sneaky:

As we know; farming is full of risk and therefore new entrants need to manage their risk carefully.,, If your fronting the seed and establishment cost of a crop of turnips, I’d rather risk my cash after barley or rye in July/early august.
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
As we know; farming is full of risk and therefore new entrants need to manage their risk carefully.,, If your fronting the seed and establishment cost of a crop of turnips, I’d rather risk my cash after barley or rye in July/early august.
but from the maize growers or the farmer of the land s point of view it could be a good way of getting some ground cover , could be grass seed even,
Drones could also be used sowing seed into cereal crops as well I guess, small seed wont go very far when broadcast is one of the usual problems, drone use could over come that possibly.
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
Westerwolds is an option, now is the time to sow it
Good call.

Slip down through now with the tractor and. varispreader, before it gets any taller.

Thats why I ve never took the risk on a old telehandler, never had one, I've found that a tractor and Forend loader is more flexible, more financially viable.(y)


Mind you Some around here is a bit tall now tho..would tickle it a bit.... although there's a lot that isn't, and some bare patches as well where the maize didnt germinate in the dry, on stone patches etc...

Funny old season ..who knows whafs coming next..
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
But with cheapish seed and the fact that it might be a good soil condition and prompt harvest would be worth the risk?

Ir reckon the use of drones ( for practical things not just playing / taking photos ) is going to take off soon pu n intended....:sneaky:
Yes, my mate Ricky is in the process of buying a team of 3 ? pretty exciting possibilities, including:

Yield mapping for variable rate
Nitrate leaching detection
Spot-spraying weeds in gullies/wetlands
Finding and pesticiding grass-grub areas
Spraying, approx 100ac/day per drone
Seeding into standing crops

Cheaper than a heli
 

DRC

Member
You’d need a very tall tractor to get over our maize now, and most of your turnip seed would lodge in the leaves .
 

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Fields to Fork Festival 2025 offers discounted tickets for the farming community.

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The Fields to Fork Festival celebrating country life, good food and backing British farming is due to take over Whitebottom Farm, Manchester, on 3rd & 4th May 2025!

Set against the idyllic backdrop of Whitebottom Farm, the festival will be an unforgettable weekend of live music, award-winning chefs, and gourmet food and drink, all while supporting UK’s farmers and food producers. As a way to show appreciation for everyone in the farming community, discounted tickets are on offer for those working in the agricultural sectors.

Alexander McLaren, Founder of Fields to Fork Festival says “British produce and rural culture has never needed the spotlight more than it does today. This festival is our way of celebrating everything that makes...
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