Fodder crop problems because of pesticide loss

[Devil's advocate]

Lots about sugar beet & oilseed rape on the cropping section.

How have fodder crops fared? Maybe wider rotations & less neighbouring crops have helped?

I grow culinary swedes & was forced into buying insect netting 15 years ago. I now have a very weedy farm so hard to hoe crops when covered by nets.

 

[thorpe]

is all i will say is our fodder beet are are crap neighbors the same !

 

[casper74]

My Fodder beet has done well this year, got a big heap if anyone wants to buy some.

 

[thorpe]

is all i will say is our fodder beet are are crap neighbors the same !

My Fodder beet has done well this year, got a big heap if anyone wants to buy some.

is it to cold for aphids up there?

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

Fodder beet has looked yellow all summer. Okish crop but won't get its potential yield. Without the seed protection for virus yellows, will have to consider if it's worth growing.

 

[neilo]

My fodder beet is the same, ok'ish but not a bumper crop. Agronomist tells me it's one of the greener crops he's seen, but looks awful to me. Definitely giving it another go next year, probably with earlier insecticide cover. Being out of the EU of course, we may have neo-nicitinoids back?

Had to redrill 5ac of maincrop turnips because of flea beetle, despite spraying. Redrilled crop did well, then had to spray again as sawfly were mullering it. Another 17ac sown on the same day didn't get hit by anything at all, apart from the drought, and unsprayed apart from some foliar fert.

 

[thorpe]

next year last for fodder b if we cant get back to the yields we expect, might as well go on to barley beef system makes life a lot eaiser.last year fantastic crop but couldnt get it this year crap crop struggling to get it barley is in the shed!

 

[Devil's advocate]

is all i will say is our fodder beet are are crap neighbors the same !

We have to complain just as much as British sugar.

I grow beetroot too & have been quite lucky with that, but nearest fodder beet at least 2 miles away, which I'm sure helps.

The best beetroot at the moment for bunching (selling with tops on) is coming from Italy, most British crops not having attractive lush tops.

 

[Devil's advocate]

next year last for fodder b if we cant get back to the yields we expect, might as well go on to barley beef system makes life a lot eaiser.last year fantastic crop but couldnt get it this year crap crop struggling to get it barley is in the shed!

Fair enougth but fodder beet a useful break for your cereals?

 

[thorpe]

Fair enougth but fodder beet a useful break for your cereals?

not that usefull when lifting into feb or march!