Controlling seeding of cover crops

[radar]

First year of growing a cover crop because of not getting spring cropping all in - excellent take of a buckwheat , mustard, phacelia, linseed clover mix - too good in fact and advised needs topping now before destruction in about 1 months time. Haven't got a suitable topper on farm, do I try and hire one or have I got anything on farm that would stop it seeding eg rolls?

 

[Clive]

glyphosate

 

[robbie]

Surely glyphosate now would mean losing out on another months worth of growth, just think of the sunlight that would be captured in August.

 

[Clive]

Surely glyphosate now would mean losing out on another months worth of growth, just think of the sunlight that would be captured in August.

true but if you don’t have a topper ?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Mob of something? W.H.Y.

 

[robbie]

true but if you don’t have a topper ?

Good point.

@radar what are you putting in after the cover???? Would any of the seeds really be a problem??

 

[teslacoils]

What are you going to do with it in a month's time once the legacy growth becomes woody crud? How about discing it in now and getting a decent seedbed made.....

 

[radar]

Good point.

@radar what are you putting in after the cover???? Would any of the seeds really be a problem??

Wheat

 

[radar]

What are you going to do with it in a month's time once the legacy growth becomes woody crud? How about discing it in now and getting a decent seedbed made.....

Joker and drill - not intending to drill until beginning of October. Want to keep the cover as long as possible without seed return.

 

[ajd132]

I would top it you will get some really powerful regrow I would have thought as when some plants are topped they go into overdrive and pump loads of root exudates into the soil

 

[ajd132]

But as said before don’t let the mustard turn into wood

 

[Will 1594]

I would top it you will get some really powerful regrow I would have thought as when some plants are topped they go into overdrive and pump loads of root exudates into the soil

Topped ours last week. Might do it again long way to go till wheat mid October. , we are having dd. Demo. Destruction 1 month before sowing ?

 

[Try to succeed]

I’ve really struggled topping a phacelia based cover crop today without killing the bees I’m trying to provide habitat for. Sorry to hijack the topic slightly, but how does everyone else get on with this? Definitely ruined my day and slowed me down immensely

 

[Cowcorn]

First year of growing a cover crop because of not getting spring cropping all in - excellent take of a buckwheat , mustard, phacelia, linseed clover mix - too good in fact and advised needs topping now before destruction in about 1 months time. Haven't got a suitable topper on farm, do I try and hire one or have I got anything on farm that would stop it seeding eg rolls?

Give @unlacedgecko a shout im sure he will dispose of the surplus growth with his flock. For a small fee of course !!!

 

[davidroberts30]

I’ve really struggled topping a phacelia based cover crop today without killing the bees I’m trying to provide habitat for. Sorry to hijack the topic slightly, but how does everyone else get on with this? Definitely ruined my day and slowed me down immensely

Evening job?

 

[Try to succeed]

Evening job?

Was out there very early this morning and dosey bees were cling to the underside of foliage. I think glypho is the only way as phacelia is so irresistible to them

 

[radar]

Notice on Dick Neale's twitter pages that that topping should be done in strips a few days apart to allow pollinators to move.

 

[MrNoo]

Used sheep here, done a very good job.

 

[Bogweevil]

First year of growing a cover crop because of not getting spring cropping all in - excellent take of a buckwheat , mustard, phacelia, linseed clover mix - too good in fact and advised needs topping now before destruction in about 1 months time. Haven't got a suitable topper on farm, do I try and hire one or have I got anything on farm that would stop it seeding eg rolls?

Combine?

 

[radar]

Combine?

Too much sap to combine ATM.