Fodder beet growing advice...
- Thread starter crashbox
- Start date
- Location
- Ceredigion
Do you get much Frost down there ?
- Location
- North West
If available 20-25t/ac of fym, 200kg/ha of K and 150kg/ha of N in the seedbed. Then depending on the season will top up with another 30-40kg/ha of N before they get too much leaf.
That’s what we usually put on fodder beet.
Make sure you keep on top of the weed sprays!!!
Got a couple of loads left to move (hopefully this afternoon) then I can total them up but ours look to have done around 35t/ac.
- Location
- Breconshire
Choose a good variety for your area. Robos suits us. Most of the bulb on the surface which suits for grazing in situ but makes it more at risk of frost. Get it in early to mid April on south coast after frost threat. Soil test and get everything right. Pre em spray and keep on top of the weeds. FB doesn't cope with weeds. Keep an eye out for aphids etc and hit them at first sight. N little and often.
Seems a lot to do and seems expensive but a poor crop is expensive while a good crop works out a lot cheaper. Have a look at the attached info for nutrient requirement etc. The costs document may be out of date a bit now but gives you an idea.
Seems a lot to do and seems expensive but a poor crop is expensive while a good crop works out a lot cheaper. Have a look at the attached info for nutrient requirement etc. The costs document may be out of date a bit now but gives you an idea.
ISCO
Member
- Location
- North East
We grew fodder beet for first time last year so interested to see what others do. Son was in charge of fertilizer so not sure what it had.
One piece of advice I was given is that it needs a perfect seedbed. Ours was ploughed out of grass and I had a look after son had power harrowed it once. I told him it needed doing again slowly and left him too it. He did not listen and I think we would have had better germination in the drought if he had done as I told him and given it another pass.
One piece of advice I was given is that it needs a perfect seedbed. Ours was ploughed out of grass and I had a look after son had power harrowed it once. I told him it needed doing again slowly and left him too it. He did not listen and I think we would have had better germination in the drought if he had done as I told him and given it another pass.
ollie989898
Member
Bury it all in muck now and plough it at the earliest opportunity and let the weather at it.
Whack all the nitrogen on into the seed bed I would.
Use a spray contractor who understands beet and is willing to have a clean tank ready for it.
You apply a bit of pre-emergence herbicide to get the beet going, then come back later. Try to avoid letting the weeds get too big, it's better to apply a couple of times as successive flushes of weeds come up. Once the beet meet in the rows you are home free.
Two passes with fungicide and some foliar feed during the summer and they should be grand. A very satisfying crop to grow. Just keep watching for weeds. The sprays in beet aren't that good, you want to be hitting the weeds at the 2 true leaf stage at the very latest. The hotter the mix you apply for weeds the more likely you are to tickle up the beet.
Whack all the nitrogen on into the seed bed I would.
Use a spray contractor who understands beet and is willing to have a clean tank ready for it.
You apply a bit of pre-emergence herbicide to get the beet going, then come back later. Try to avoid letting the weeds get too big, it's better to apply a couple of times as successive flushes of weeds come up. Once the beet meet in the rows you are home free.
Two passes with fungicide and some foliar feed during the summer and they should be grand. A very satisfying crop to grow. Just keep watching for weeds. The sprays in beet aren't that good, you want to be hitting the weeds at the 2 true leaf stage at the very latest. The hotter the mix you apply for weeds the more likely you are to tickle up the beet.
Never yet put a fungicide on my beet.
What are you worried about that you seem to think it needs 2?
Holsteinfriesian90
Member
- Location
- Cornwall
You will probably be told loads of ways to grow fodder beet on here best way is get hold of your agronomist and get advice off him.
ollie989898
Member
Don't you worry- I just made it all up. You don't ever need anything on beet, it needs nothing whatsoever.
Now go back to putting on your clown trousers.
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
if the seed bed is a little rough a Cambridge roll after drilling works wonders
ollie989898
Member
Absolutely- need a good firm seed bed to ensure a nice quick and uniform emergence of the crop. It's not a crop that tends to respond well to approaching in the fashion of a messer. Fed and looked after well the yield of it is just nuts. Can't be beaten.
Agree regarding agronomy-I’ll a simple sheep farmer so leave the growing decisions to my excellent arable neighbour
The other thing we have found is to have a whole feed face length for run back -we run 800 ewes in a mob and going through a gate way onto run back even on chalk is carnage.We have also found offering a small amount of stubble turnips helps fill the protein shortage
The other thing we have found is to have a whole feed face length for run back -we run 800 ewes in a mob and going through a gate way onto run back even on chalk is carnage.We have also found offering a small amount of stubble turnips helps fill the protein shortage
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ollie989898
Member
How do you get on growing beet on the thinner chalk soils? I guess with a variety which grows on up above the soil more you still get good yields of freshweight to graze at?
Need plenty of fertility from manures for soils like that.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Having a go at fodder beet for first time in my "career"...
South coast, dry sandy free-draining soils. Beet is for grazing store cattle over winter. Have bought a grazing variety.
Any useful advice for a first-time grower?
Thanks in advance
If it's for grazing then read up on some of the kiwi growing advice online.
Get a decent agronomist, that knows about beet herbicides, and a spraying contractor that is willing to change nozzles to apply those herbicides (yellow, at 80 L/ha).
Use the agronomist for herbicide and fungicides, but the kiwi advice on N fert. Most agronomists just follow the sugar beet guidelines and, like @ollie989898 did, recommend putting all the N in the seedbed. Kiwi work has shown good responses to applying more N, and splitting it into 3 or 4 doses. The last dose in Sept/Oct will keep it growing lots of tops, which is the opposite of the aim for sugar beet.
You will see good responses to 200 kg of N/ha ime, and some of the kiwi growers are apparently pushing on at 300!
Oh, and if you're planning on grazing cattle, follow the kiwi advice on transitioning them onto it gradually over 14 days. Otherwise you'll be picking dead beasts out with acidosis in the second week! Not an issue with sheep.
ollie989898
Member
I was always in favour of later nitrogen applications but never found any growers who want to run through the crop again and again. I'd sooner they put on some trace elements and if they are doing that then a go with some opera to keep the mildew out makes sense.
I never met a grower who was prepared to shove on the bigger amounts of nitrogen, either. Given the amount of fertility about I am not sure I would automatically disagree with their thinking to be fair.
I never met a grower who was prepared to shove on the bigger amounts of nitrogen, either. Given the amount of fertility about I am not sure I would automatically disagree with their thinking to be fair.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
It makes a huge difference to top growth, and continued growth over winter.
Not so much use on crops destined to be lifted early for feeding elsewhere, but hugely valuable for grazing regimes, where tops = protein & mins.
No problem I’m sure stronger ground would yield more but even in the wettest spells we can keep grazingHow do you get on growing beet on the thinner chalk soils? I guess with a variety which grows on up above the soil more you still get good yields of freshweight to graze at?
Need plenty of fertility from manures for soils like that.
ISCO
Member
- Location
- North East
Toyed with rolling last year, agronomist said roll, decided not to. Probably.been better rolled.
Lesson learned.