Irrigation to help stop wind damage.

[Breckland Boy]

I have sugar beet that are just up to expanded cotyledon and high force southerlies forecast tomorrow.
Our land is very light sand.
What is the collective thought on using our irrigators to dampen the soil to stop wind damage to the beet?
Will the large droplets of cold water damage the beet?

 

[robbie]

Tricky one. I wouldn't think they'd lie being bombarded with big heavy droplets of cold rain much and it would surely cool the soil which will check there growth but the other option isn't very good either.

A few years ago our haulier at the time irrigated some of there beet early on in the season in a very dry year a few years back and the irrigated ones yielded less.

 

[Breckland Boy]

My gut instinct is not to do it.
But if it blows bad I could lose half the field.
I'm wishing I had a serviceable muck spreader.

 

[robbie]

Can you not hire one at short notice from a nieghbour??? @slim shiny old place used to top dress beet with poultry muck to stop them blowing.

 

[Breckland Boy]

I used to regularly spread some muck/ wet straw to stop blow. We have a Bunning Highlander but it would be next week before I could get it running.
Local spreader to me is at work today.
Thinking I will do 1 run on the most prone part of the field tonight.

 

[Lewis821]

Many moons ago with onions I used to run through with the hoe, the duck foot points used to create a small ridge between the rows. It got us out of a muddle a few times. I'd be wary of irrigating unless it's through a boom, a gun could do more harm than good imo

 

[Hesstondriver]

Have you got or can you borrow a boom?

 

[Breckland Boy]

Have you got or can you borrow a boom?

Only guns here.
Two thirds of our fields have pylons in them.

 

[Kam]

I'm wishing I had a serviceable muck spreader.

Probably too late now, but I have 2 Agrihire spreaders here at the moment, and one of them was stood still all day today, and both will not be used tomorrow..... Get in touch if you want

 

[Will 1594]

Do you know Alex beard , Watton or his mate chapman contractors , or Angus newton who spreads a lot of muck he has done ours this time , superb job all gps , weigh cell spreaders . Angus and his boys ?????. Worth a try. Or have you a shed full of old chitting trays , we once put hundreds on a light hill , don’t plough now direct in. Works well

 

[robbie]

Alex doesnt have a spreader. The others do but only hire them with drivers.

 

[Breckland Boy]

I don't plough either but the easterlies of last week have drawn a lot of moisture out and I'm worried mainly because the beet are at that critical stage.
Wind now is forecast at no more than. 20mph so hopefully it won't be too bad.

@Kam
That's a very kind offer thanks. If the forecast changes I'll be in touch.

 

[robbie]

Hows it going @Breckland Boy ????
The wind doesnt seem to bed here certainly not strong enough to blow this ground.

 

[Breckland Boy]

Hows it going @Breckland Boy ????
The wind doesnt seem to bed here certainly not strong enough to blow this ground.

Only a few puffs, so yes I'm relieved.

 

[Agriimark]

Out of interest has anyone tried spraying pva on sandy ground, used to do a bit at my previous job on onion ground. Did the job left a nice film on top sealing everything down. Only down side was the booms came back white if it was breezy. Spray the sprayer with derv before applying and that did the trick.

 

[Breckland Boy]

Used to do the onions.
Awful job. Hard on the sprayer at 1000l/ha. Stuff got everywhere and the cost is ferocious.

 

[Lewis821]

Out of interest has anyone tried spraying pva on sandy ground, used to do a bit at my previous job on onion ground. Did the job left a nice film on top sealing everything down. Only down side was the booms came back white if it was breezy. Spray the sprayer with derv before applying and that did the trick.

Bloody stuff, we are now using the modern equivalent, Mortar

 

[Flat 10]

Bloody stuff, we are now using the modern equivalent, Mortar

As in cement? In a sprayer?!?!

 

[two-cylinder]

Find our peat blows worst just after a light shower.

 

[DrWazzock]

Find our peat blows worst just after a light shower.

So does our sand. The rain breaks down any remaining structure and leaves it like dust. You either need a good rain or no rain at all.
The Mrs and I were busy spreading horse muck out the front of the telehandler bucket on the worst 2 acres last Saturday but the forecast winds didn’t materialise thankfully.