Mustard cover crop advice

[Rookie]

Got a couple of fields which are lightish land and have just come out of growing lawn turf. I have sprayed them off and gone through with the Sumo to break the surface up to a depth of around 6 inch as was like concrete, and to prevent water pooling.
I am planning on putting winter wheat in at the start of October, but thought it might be better to have a cover crop of some description rather than left bare.
Is there time for a cover crop of mustard to be worthwhile, and if so what seed rate as the seed companies seem to suggest 25kg/ha which I think is on the high side. Thanks.

 

[robbie]

Loads of time, it'll grow like stink at the minute as long as there's moisture. 5-10 kg is fine.

 

[Rookie]

Loads of time, it'll grow like stink at the minute as long as there's moisture. 5-10 kg is fine.

Would you expect it to get as far as flowering stage in 3 months. ?

 

[robbie]

Drilled now probably yes, even maybe some pods starting to form.

 

[Will 1594]

Sort you compaction.
What you got in shed
Bit of rape mustard oil radish. Oats
25 kg mustard seed man
20 kg oat. And 6/7 kg of above mix be plenty
Top it or eat it off before it’s woody and let come again
Eat it off or spray off drill into it

 

[robbie]

Got a couple of fields which are lightish land and have just come out of growing lawn turf. I have sprayed them off and gone through with the Sumo to break the surface up to a depth of around 6 inch as was like concrete, and to prevent water pooling.
I am planning on putting winter wheat in at the start of October, but thought it might be better to have a cover crop of some description rather than left bare.
Is there time for a cover crop of mustard to be worthwhile, and if so what seed rate as the seed companies seem to suggest 25kg/ha which I think is on the high side. Thanks.

To give you an idea of growth both fields would have been planted early august and ploughed in end of sept early Oct.

 

[Rookie]

Thanks for that. What rate would that have been drilled at. 5 or 10kg?

 

[Great In Grass]

Sow at 8kg to 10kg/ha.

Bear in mind Mustard can be very sensitive to stress (lack of water, lack of nitrogen or very high temperature) and can run to seed very quickly. As its biomass rapidly becomes fibrous, it is slow to break down and during decomposition nitrogen losses can be high.

 

[robbie]

I can't remember to be honest it was a few years ago but it wouldnt have been much. It was pigtailed and spun on with fert spinner, I think 5kg perhaps a bit more but certainly no where near as high as 10.

 

[casper74]

Got a couple of fields which are lightish land and have just come out of growing lawn turf. I have sprayed them off and gone through with the Sumo to break the surface up to a depth of around 6 inch as was like concrete, and to prevent water pooling.
I am planning on putting winter wheat in at the start of October, but thought it might be better to have a cover crop of some description rather than left bare.
Is there time for a cover crop of mustard to be worthwhile, and if so what seed rate as the seed companies seem to suggest 25kg/ha which I think is on the high side. Thanks.

Watch out for pigeons, flea beetle and no rain, them 3 have buggered my mustard crop

 

[FarmerBruce]

Diamond back moth love it too!!

 

[Rookie]

Watch out for pigeons, flea beetle and no rain, them 3 have buggered my mustard crop

I didn't think flea beetle or pigeons would bother it like osr.

 

[robbie]

Personally I've never had any bother with anything mentioned above.

Last time I grew stubble turnips they did have a few shot holes in them.