Maize 2020

[Beef farmer]

The daily Express ????? said there was a hest wave returning this week.
Obviously the small print said Africa becauae it ain't here! Baltic this morning. Maoze wont like this

 

[stablegirl]

I wish for once the daily express were correct, my maize is getting shorter and shorter as it leans further and further over.

 

[Durry cows]

I wish for once the daily express were correct, my maize is getting shorter and shorter as it leans further and further over.

Sorry to hear that is it just parts of the field? Is it big field(s) without many hedgerows out of interest? Fingers crossed it hangs in there looks warmer and sunnier in a few days

 

[stablegirl]

Dont get me wrong at the moment it still looks well, but the leaning is unnerving.

Theres 120 acre in 6 fields.

 

[E_B]

Not a patch on some of the crops in here, but this was drilled straight into stubble with our Mzuri (non singulation), medium loam type with clay patches. The right side had DAP, the left didn't. That's the only only difference, which has been particularly highlighted in this area of the field. Feel like the DAP has papered over some phosphate deficiency nicely. Patchy emergence partly caused by slugs (a negative of strip tilling maize on anything but sand) and conversely, the dry spell.

 

[goodevans]

Maize being a lazy rooter and needing phosphate may prove that a more vigorous tillage program may be better though

 

[E_B]

Maize being a lazy rooter and needing phosphate may prove that a more vigorous tillage program may be better though

Probably. 3/4s of our maize is after the plough. However on sand, the Mzuri has been comparable over the last few years with significantly reduced establishment cost, plus less herbicide. This is probably the last year drilling maize with the Mzuri though due to a reduction in maize acreage, its been the most interesting and challenging aspect of moving to strip till generally.

 

[Durry cows]

Probably. 3/4s of our maize is after the plough. However on sand, the Mzuri has been comparable over the last few years with significantly reduced establishment cost, plus less herbicide. This is probably the last year drilling maize with the Mzuri though due to a reduction in maize acreage, its been the most interesting and challenging aspect of moving to strip till generally.

Thanks for those pics good to get on farm practical examples of the 2 systems, goes to show the importance of dap been proven a few times in this thread, the idea of strip till/direct drill really excites me although those plants look slightly sparse? The extra tonnage even if just one pays for the plough and power Harrow cultivation per acre IMO so interesting to hear you’re perspective of the 2 systems. My attempt at a poly culture/ give the walkers something to look at/help biodiversity feed the pollinators and birds below chucked sunflower seeds sparingly in with the maize they look to have taken well so keep an eye on them later on. Nice fibrous root system too to help soil structure/mineral and protein benefits in the clamp? That’s the idea anyway

 

[ollie989898]

View attachment 892829

Not a patch on some of the crops in here, but this was drilled straight into stubble with our Mzuri (non singulation), medium loam type with clay patches. The right side had DAP, the left didn't. That's the only only difference, which has been particularly highlighted in this area of the field. Feel like the DAP has papered over some phosphate deficiency nicely. Patchy emergence partly caused by slugs (a negative of strip tilling maize on anything but sand) and conversely, the dry spell.

Well if that isn't an advert for starter fertiliser I don't know what is!

 

[E_B]

[

Thanks for those pics good to get on farm practical examples of the 2 systems, goes to show the importance of dap been proven a few times in this thread, the idea of strip till/direct drill really excites me although those plants look slightly sparse? The extra tonnage even if just one pays for the plough and power Harrow cultivation per acre IMO so interesting to hear you’re perspective of the 2 systems. My attempt at a poly culture/ give the walkers something to look at/help biodiversity feed the pollinators and birds below chucked sunflower seeds sparingly in with the maize they look to have taken well so keep an eye on them later on. Nice fibrous root system too to help soil structure/mineral and protein benefits in the clamp? That’s the idea anyway View attachment 892970View attachment 892971

Looks great, look forward to seeing photos in a few weeks! Thanks, yes the plant population is a bit sparse in places, better in the lighter parts of the field. Probably should've upped the seedrate a little for the strip tilled maize, compared to conventional, I always forget to do that.

Also the rows are 33cm so perhaps twice as many rows as a conventional maize drill, therefore each row looks thinner, plus the seed sometimes will not flow through one or two pipes at any time depending on the gradient of the field. This is due to the low seed rate through an air drill with a bulk hopper and big cereal-style distribution head. The alarm can go off for 30 secs at a time and I ignore it, rather than keep stopping and starting. This leads to rows that are sparsely populated sometimes.

Plus slugs did have a few.

 

[E_B]

Thanks for those pics good to get on farm practical examples of the 2 systems, goes to show the importance of dap been proven a few times in this thread, the idea of strip till/direct drill really excites me although those plants look slightly sparse? The extra tonnage even if just one pays for the plough and power Harrow cultivation per acre IMO so interesting to hear you’re perspective of the 2 systems. My attempt at a poly culture/ give the walkers something to look at/help biodiversity feed the pollinators and birds below chucked sunflower seeds sparingly in with the maize they look to have taken well so keep an eye on them later on. Nice fibrous root system too to help soil structure/mineral and protein benefits in the clamp? That’s the idea anyway View attachment 892970View attachment 892971

I always like to post this photo from a couple of years ago, after an oat and vetch cover on a very kind field.

 

[ollie989898]

I always like to post this photo from a couple of years ago, after an oat and vetch cover on a very kind field.

Now that is a great idea. Not only is that stopping the weeds but it will retain moisture as well for the dry land boys.

 

[LINCOLN]

maize drilled after whole crop rye used a grange 6m 12 leg low disturbance spoiler and towed our horsch maestro behind it

 

[puntabrava]

Odd leaf 7 feet tall, no tasseling yet, viewed a field today at St Clears fully tasseled.

 

[Beef farmer]

View attachment 893930
Odd leaf 7 feet tall, no tasseling yet, viewed a field today at St Clears fully tasseled.

Thats some fence

 

[Ducati899]

View attachment 893930
Odd leaf 7 feet tall, no tasseling yet, viewed a field today at St Clears fully tasseled.

Mine was better than that on the 28th June and you said it was a poor crop ya clown ?

 

[Ducati899]

Thats some fence

Elephant fencing ?

 

[Ducati899]

I’ll put my worst piece in for good measure,no tassels yet

 

[Beef farmer]

I’ll put my worst piece in for good measure,no tassels yet View attachment 893948

Never had you down as a man to use baler twine!!!!

 

[Ducati899]

Never had you down as a man to use baler twine!!!!

Sometimes needs must ? calving paddock next to maize spells disaster