Dirty fields

[Chris Ed 62]

We changed from a Sumo / Plough / Vaderstad system to Mzuri rake / Claydon hybrid system last year. Having now completed a whole season we are now left wondering if it was the correct decision.

Our fields have never been so dirty it's almost as if we have drilled companion crops everywhere , the companion crop being grasses such as meadow, brome and small patches of black grass . I can excuse fat hen growning on flooded areas due to the incredibly wet autumn / winter last year but the rest hasn't sat well with us.

My question to all you seasoned low disturbance farmers is : "Could this be due to the wide banding the Claydon drills at leading to a lot less competition for weeds" ? If so we don't really want addition cost in purchasing an inter row hoe , how does one combat this ?

Right now it's extremely temping to chop everything in and return to the tried and proven here however there is that small degree of hope and the last season has been both challenging and extreme and a bad one to embark on a new system.

 

[ih1455xl]

To much disturbance From the drill I’d say why did you go for the Calydon and not a low disturbance drill

 

[Chris Ed 62]

To much disturbance From the drill I’d say why did you go for the Calydon and not a low disturbance drill

We can't go 100% no disturbance, every third year we still need to deep cultivate or plough having vinning peas, sugar beet and potatoes in the mix. The Claydon ( after testing the year previous ) appears to be the simplest and most versatile drill we felt could cope with both drilling into low disturbance stubbles and ploughed etc.

We currently run the 5" A share infant of the seeder boot would you think a 3" would be better ?

 

[robs1]

It's just season, give it another go,

 

[juke]

We changed from a Sumo / Plough / Vaderstad system to Mzuri rake / Claydon hybrid system last year. Having now completed a whole season we are now left wondering if it was the correct decision.

Our fields have never been so dirty it's almost as if we have drilled companion crops everywhere , the companion crop being grasses such as meadow, brome and small patches of black grass . I can excuse fat hen growning on flooded areas due to the incredibly wet autumn / winter last year but the rest hasn't sat well with us.

My question to all you seasoned low disturbance farmers is : "Could this be due to the wide banding the Claydon drills at leading to a lot less competition for weeds" ? If so we don't really want addition cost in purchasing an inter row hoe , how does one combat this ?

Right now it's extremely temping to chop everything in and return to the tried and proven here however there is that small degree of hope and the last season has been both challenging and extreme and a bad one to embark on a new system.

tell me your rotation please


best rule is not growing two white straw crops together. we are fortunate to be able to grow beans and osr still, this allows us to extend to a 6 year rotation, this year has been a challlenge more for wild oats that havent really been a problem in the past. do you have a big herbicide stack going on and have you done the same previously, unfortunately your previous system will have put your weed seeds right across the soil profile makes it more of challenge but not impossible , the other question, is your agronomist fully on board with a direct drilling system ?

 

[Badshot]

First question has to be, did the fields all get the same pre emergence herbicide well timed as they would under your old system?
And then also similar herbicides in season?
I know last year has been a horrible year for most, and it's easy to blame the new thing you've tried, when in fact it's just the combination of things nature threw at us.

 

[Chris Ed 62]

tell me your rotation please


best rule is not growing two white straw crops together. we are fortunate to be able to grow beans and osr still, this allows us to extend to a 6 year rotation, this year has been a challlenge more for wild oats that havent really been a problem in the past. do you have a big herbicide stack going on and have you done the same previously, unfortunately your previous system will have put your weed seeds right across the soil profile makes it more of challenge but not impossible , the other question, is your agronomist fully on board with a direct drilling system ?

I find this extremely interesting thank you. Ok , our rotation generally runs :

Barley
Barley
Legume ( Peas / Beans )
Barley
Barley
Rootcrop ( Sugar Beet / Potatoes )

Yes our herbicide stack is top heavy but nothing out of the way. We are slowly realising the more we disturb the soil the worst the weeds spread however as you can see from our rotation every third year we have to run either a plough or Sumo still .

The above cropping program does suit our soil type and location which is medium light loams and the most easterly farm in the UK .

My agronomist to be fair is getting his head around the situation but is very much in the Frontier mindset. He has proposed a different approach regarding pre and post em herbicides which has still to be agreed . Any thoughts ?

 

[Chris Ed 62]

First question has to be, did the fields all get the same pre emergence herbicide well timed as they would under your old system?
And then also similar herbicides in season?
I know last year has been a horrible year for most, and it's easy to blame the new thing you've tried, when in fact it's just the combination of things nature threw at us.

You make a valid point, yes exactly the same pre em which I challenged at the time but was convinced from a cost saving perspective to stay with the tried and proven pendimethalin 330. We generally follow the drill with this

Looking at the way the Claydon leaves the finished drilled surface which is generally rougher than the Vaderstad, I did wonder if sprays had not been quiet so effective too. However due ton ducking and diving run storms last season we didn't rush to get the rolls out or run back over behind the drill with a straw rake again in the fear of compaction issues.

 

[juke]

I find this extremely interesting thank you. Ok , our rotation generally runs :

Barley
Barley
Legume ( Peas / Beans )
Barley
Barley
Rootcrop ( Sugar Beet / Potatoes )

Yes our herbicide stack is top heavy but nothing out of the way. We are slowly realising the more we disturb the soil the worst the weeds spread however as you can see from our rotation every third year we have to run either a plough or Sumo still .

The above cropping program does suit our soil type and location which is medium light loams and the most easterly farm in the UK .

My agronomist to be fair is getting his head around the situation but is very much in the Frontier mindset. He has proposed a different approach regarding pre and post em herbicides which has still to be agreed . Any thoughts ?

I'm guessing this is two winter barley's then a break ?
Can you get a spring barley in there at all ?
Obviously the herbicides you have available aren't going to be as anywhere near effective as they would be in wheat. You don't have any real options in barley to control brome .

If possible wheat folowed by spring barley and then onto your breaks could be the best option.