Mustard ahead of winter Beans

[Clive]

Clearing a block of wheat now that is going winter beans (or spring if conditions not right at drilling time)

I hadn't planned on a cover crop for this block as I felt it would be in the ground too short a time to justify drilling pedders etc

I reckon we might have a gap in harvest the next few days so I have labour and tractors free to maybe establish a quick mustard cover ahead of the beans - soil is moist, it should get going well

any reason why this isn't a good idea ?

Is 2-3 months long enough to get worthwhile growth ?

Anyone know where I can get cheap mustard seed FAST ??

 

[Great In Grass]

Monday to late?

 

[Clive]

Monday to late?

send me a price

I was hoping to get them on it this weekend, we maybe be in the next wheat / osr Monday but I would go collect if it helps and isn't a million miles away

 

[Andy Howard]

I personally do not like mustard much. I would plant some warm season broadleaves and cereals like millet, buckwheat, sunflower, maize. Will grow plenty in the time you are talking about. I would have thought pedders is the best for a custom mix quickly or ask your local seed merchant.

 

[Clive]

I personally do not like mustard much. I would plant some warm season broadleaves and cereals like millet, buckwheat, sunflower, maize. Will grow plenty in the time you are talking about. I would have thought pedders is the best for a custom mix quickly or ask your local seed merchant.

Just bought a bit of cheap mustard, going to mix it with some left over sunflowers, linseed and oats I have kicking about and hopefully get it in this weekend

 

[Andy Howard]

Sounds like a plan

 

[Jim Bullock]

We have done mustard pre-winter beans...yes it worked and we had a really good crop of beans afterwards...but we did not have a control so it is difficult to draw a proper conclusion. We did use some Fusilade in the mustard to control the volunteers and grass weeds and where this was missed out the (bean) crop did not do so well. Our mustard was direct-drilled around about now (mid-August) and the beans went in in mid October..I have some pics which I will look out and post, certainly worth trying..

 

[Baling Hay]

@Clive , what drill are you going to use to establish your winter beans?

 

[Clive]

@Clive , what drill are you going to use to establish your winter beans?

will depend how well the cover crop drilled yesterday with the Dale grows !

if there is a lot of cover it will be the 750a - the Dale is good but it has nothing like the trash coping ability of the JD

 

[Baling Hay]

will depend how well the cover crop drilled yesterday with the Dale grows !

if there is a lot of cover it will be the 750a - the Dale is good but it has nothing like the trash coping ability of the John Deere

Will the 750a be able to put the winter beans deep enough?

 

[Clive]

Will the 750a be able to put the winter beans deep enough?

yes I thinks so - I have seen very good crops of winter beans established with a 750a