Establishing SFI legume fallow

[N44CKL]

Wondering what success people have had with different methods this year. I personally chose to lightly disc followed by Cambridge rolls with my stocks fan jet mounted to my front weight spreading at 8m to match my rolls. This was a cheap way for me to establish the legume fallow. The ground had been LD subsoiled in the autumn to eliviate compaction and good a good chit for volunteers and BG. Conditions were wet through spring so it was slightly later going in than planned, and then it never rained. However the results seems good although it is patchy in places. Wondering whether to direct drill next year with the Claydon.

 

[teslacoils]

I put half in this May, power harrowing to get some tilth after subsoiling the autumn before. Ive another batch due to go in to replace failed wheat that was disced, rolled, disced and rolled then left two months. Its mellowed real nice and will go into some moisture. Mine are all three year chunks, so cant afford poor coverage.

 

[Grass And Grain]

Used tackle we had available.

Disced, combi drill with coulters just trailing lightly into the surface then rolled.

Did some other year by creating seedbed, broadcast then rolled in.

No difference in establishment success by those two methods, but might be better drilled if no rain forecast.

Had to plough some medium/lighter land three years ago because it was too wet to work on top. Needed to dry a bit. Suppose could have just spun on, but wanted a nice level finish and we'd been on with telehandler leading bales out. Don't fancy several passes with topper on rough ground.

 

[Brisel]

I have AB15 2 year legume fallow under Mid Tier CS, so slightly more prescriptive rules. Bad blackgrass levels, so we used the Topdown followed by a power harrow then blown on with an air drill, barely tickling the top then rolled as we've topped it 3 times so far and are glad of the smooth finish. I also wanted to have good establishment for meaningful blackgrass competition. The mid August sown field looks the best. The rest was sown after wheat in early September and took longer to establish. The Timothy grass added to the legumes is just starting to come well but hasn't added much benefit so far.

If I were in SFI 2023 and was using it for 1 year only, I'd keep it cheap but the longer you want it to stay for, the more effort I'd put into it. CNUM3 for 3 years is definitely worth getting right IMO.

Anywhere the establishment was poor, there is more blackgrass.

 

[Flat 10]

We lightly cultivate then combination drill and roll.

 

[MrNoo]

5 year AB8 here, used cultivator in the Spring then grass harrows, seemed to be hit or miss re establishment but think other issues at play there. Have pretty much been topping it every 3-4 weeks but now it's starting to fill out, no BG so will leave it now for winter. Drilled the rest last week, this ground was ploughed then poweharrowed then seeded with grass harrows/seeder, just coming through now.

 

[Clive]

why not direct drill it ? not like the yield matters is it !

 

[Wigeon]

One thing for certain is that poor establishment will end up a nightmare. I put some herbal leys in this time last yr, and those that I cultivated properly are miles better than those I just scratched in.

 

[Clive]

One thing for certain is that poor establishment will end up a nightmare. I put some herbal leys in this time last yr, and those that I cultivated properly are miles better than those I just scratched in.

does it matter as long as you are achieving aims ?

 

[Wigeon]

Yes if you're relying on it to build fertility.

 

[MrNoo]

does it matter as long as you are achieving aims ?

It does really as I have to look at it for 5 years and I don’t want a bloody mess and with the price of seed it needs doing right! Do the job properly or not at all.
I will add I have used more diesel this year than a normal cropping year, more hours on the tractors too but obviously that will be massively reduced over the next 4 years.