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companion cropped o.s.r

juke

Member
Location
DURHAM
how have folks gotten on with there companion crops this year with keeping pigeons off , did anyone have much luck ?
 

juke

Member
Location
DURHAM
Is the plan to use shield or something like to take them out or do you plan to leave them in all season. Unfortunately we have to use astro kerb so it wiped everything out.
 

Wigeon

Member
Arable Farmer
Berseem clover here established really well and was much prouder of the rape through the autumn than the year before. Best field of rape also had best clover. Astrokerb did for it, but the clover stems were pretty woody and I was hopeful that these would keep the pigeons off. It hasn't worked unfortunately, and best field of rape now looks some of the worst!
 

zero

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorkshire coast
Our berseem clover was broadcast after the drill before we rolled it. The rain,pigeons,slugs left a few big bald patches by new year and the frost and snow wiped out the remaining clover a few weeks ago. I think the clover mostly helped the rape because its growing in places it didn't the last time the field grew rape.
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
My vetch/berseem clover companions were wiped out by Astrokerb too. The crop is ok but is a bit thinner than the non CC stuff next door. The pigeons have been kept at bay by gas bangers but choosing a field surrounded by trees hasn't made that any easier.
 

Cutlerstom

Member
Arable Farmer
I used vetch and buckwheat. Frost did for buckwheat, and took out the vetch with astrokerb. Pigeons never touched it, not sure why, but my theory is that while companions were there it was hard to land in, and also it drew the OSR up, so it was very big by the time the companions were dead. Low seed rate of 35 plants for the OSR normally means we get more pigeon damage as they can land in it for longer. Something took the tops out of the control strip I left with no companions which says enough to me that it helps with pigeon control to an extent, so will do more next year, as they have been a sod on all the other bits!
 

Shutesy

Moderator
Moderator
I used vetch and buckwheat. Frost did for buckwheat, and took out the vetch with astrokerb. Pigeons never touched it, not sure why, but my theory is that while companions were there it was hard to land in, and also it drew the OSR up, so it was very big by the time the companions were dead. Low seed rate of 35 plants for the OSR normally means we get more pigeon damage as they can land in it for longer. Something took the tops out of the control strip I left with no companions which says enough to me that it helps with pigeon control to an extent, so will do more next year, as they have been a sod on all the other bits!
Think i will try some here next year and hope your proved right(y) Anything that helps keep the bleedin pigeons off!:arghh:
 

Cutlerstom

Member
Arable Farmer
Think i will try some here next year and hope your proved right(y) Anything that helps keep the bleedin pigeons off!:arghh:
I was more impressed with the apparent confusion it gave to CSFB to be honest. May have been a fluke, but certainly worth proceeding with. My rationale was that an OP variety plus companion seed was still cheaper than hybrid seed which I also grow, so the seed spend wasn't significantly putting me off. No autumn N or pre/post em weed control until astroberb means that the spend so far is less than my usual system. See how it yields!
 

juke

Member
Location
DURHAM
I used vetch and buckwheat. Frost did for buckwheat, and took out the vetch with astrokerb. Pigeons never touched it, not sure why, but my theory is that while companions were there it was hard to land in, and also it drew the OSR up, so it was very big by the time the companions were dead. Low seed rate of 35 plants for the OSR normally means we get more pigeon damage as they can land in it for longer. Something took the tops out of the control strip I left with no companions which says enough to me that it helps with pigeon control to an extent, so will do more next year, as they have been a sod on all the other bits!

what seed rate did you drill the vetch and buckwheat at ? n do you know the variety of vetch that you used ?
 

RTK Farmer

Member
BASE UK Member

RTK Farmer

Member
BASE UK Member
758BDA6D-388E-48FE-B3D3-361A5D3AC740.jpeg
Berseem and Buckwheat companions on LH side, OSR on its own on right taken last week.
 

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Webinar: Expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive offer 2024 -26th Sept

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On Thursday 26th September, we’re holding a webinar for farmers to go through the guidance, actions and detail for the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer. This was planned for end of May, but had to be delayed due to the general election. We apologise about that.

Farming and Countryside Programme Director, Janet Hughes will be joined by policy leads working on SFI, and colleagues from the Rural Payment Agency and Catchment Sensitive Farming.

This webinar will be...
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