OSR alternative

[Boysground]

Don’t want to grow peas as too many combine destroying flints. Every time I have grown beans they have been rubbish. I think that I will be looking at keeping a little osr and perhaps some linseed and/or oats.

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[tw15]

We dont need another pulse break crop. We have peas and beans and these are valuable in an arable rotation. What we need is another brassica/oilseed/grass crop that is a break from a cereal and is a break from pulses....like rape...except not rape!

One big problem with another brassica break, Cabbage stem flee beetle .
We will still be in the same boat surely.

 

[jack6480]

Keep growing wheat and rape big boys! Feed the world!

 

[Mc115reed]

Rip it up put maize in feed that digester!!

 

[PSQ]

Where does it say they had a 50% Wheat 50% OSR rotation?

Why do you think I quoted @yellow belly from post #8? Get yourself to Specsavers

1000 out of 7000 is 1 in 7...............

It is indeed, but I wasn’t referring to post #3, which is why I quoted post 8

 

[Brisel]

Beware of growing lupins on alkaline soils @Boysground They like acid.

 

[Brisel]

It's just a consequence and reflection of how significant the fall in OSR area is this season, so the case described by the OP must be fairly common.

Elsewhere, a lot of rape won't be getting flowering fungicides - markets needed elsewhere for these?

Ah, I see where you're coming from now. I'd better shut up about my wheat & rape showing a boron deficiency on every tissue test I've done so far then. I'm awaiting another set of test results of a field at a particular point in time, so will post them up in due course.

 

[Boysground]

Beware of growing lupins on alkaline soils @Boysground They like acid.

I did think that. Whatever I do I will keep things simple so no fancy crops with a limited market

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[John Slejpner]

Ah, I see where you're coming from now. I'd better shut up about my wheat & rape showing a boron deficiency on every tissue test I've done so far then. I'm awaiting another set of test results of a field at a particular point in time, so will post them up in due course.

6 tests so far, all wheat, all 6 low / very low boron (2.9 to 3.1 ppm...well at least they are consistent )

 

[ollie989898]

Why is all the OSR suddenly fudged now??? We have had a very kind autumn and establishment must have been good??

Agree about lupins. Id take my chances with beans and spring linseed. Linseed can be cheap to grow.

 

[John Slejpner]

Why is all the OSR suddenly fudged now??? We have had a very kind autumn and establishment must have been good??

Because up till now (2-3 weeks ago) the plant can carry too many CSFB larvae but appear to be doing ok.
When it fails to launch week after week reality replaces hope.

 

[ollie989898]

Because up till now (2-3 weeks ago) the plant can carry too many CSFB larvae but appear to be doing ok.
When it fails to launch week after week reality replaces hope.

Ah I see. I thought that was the case the larvae hidden in the stem.

Its almost like the future of OSR will have to be direct drilling and farm saved seed and see if you get a worthwhile crop appear next spring.

 

[jonnyjon]

Have tried lupins twice, useless both times. Ph 6.5 to 7.5, didn't try them on the 7.5 ....

 

[John Slejpner]

Ah I see. I thought that was the case the larvae hidden in the stem.

Its almost like the future of OSR will have to be direct drilling and farm saved seed and see if you get a worthwhile crop appear next spring.

I think that is a fair comment.
The tough thing about this year is that, unlike 3 seasons ago when CSFB was also really bad ( september 16 ), early drilling - first two weeks of august - has not really worked that well. The prolonged dry spell meant plants never got big enough fast enough to fight off wave after wave of incoming.
This year, with hindsight, you probably wanted to be drilling it as late into september as you dared. FSS and thick.

 

[tr250]

I think that is a fair comment.
The tough thing about this year is that, unlike 3 seasons ago when CSFB was also really bad ( september 16 ), early drilling - first two weeks of august - has not really worked that well. The prolonged dry spell meant plants never got big enough fast enough to fight off wave after wave of incoming.
This year, with hindsight, you probably wanted to be drilling it as late into september as you dared. FSS and thick.

I drilled one field on the 11th oct and it looks a treat but will be later to harvest. Pic taken 7th march has grown a lot since

 

[Flat 10]

I think that is a fair comment.
The tough thing about this year is that, unlike 3 seasons ago when CSFB was also really bad ( september 16 ), early drilling - first two weeks of august - has not really worked that well. The prolonged dry spell meant plants never got big enough fast enough to fight off wave after wave of incoming.
This year, with hindsight, you probably wanted to be drilling it as late into september as you dared. FSS and thick.

I drilled FSS mid aug thick and I now have a very high larval burden but am leaving it for now, think I will take to harvest. I patched some in some drill misses 3rd week Sep and very very little has survived, so wouldn’t have worked here.

 

[Flat 10]

Ah I see. I thought that was the case the larvae hidden in the stem.

Its almost like the future of OSR will have to be direct drilling and farm saved seed and see if you get a worthwhile crop appear next spring.

Weed control is tricky if you do that. Astrokerb is why I have persisted with the crop so far....

 

[ollie989898]

Weed control is tricky if you do that. Astrokerb is why I have persisted with the crop so far....

Yes, the astrokerb and later herbicide options that have appeared do seem to be going hand in hand with the way OSR is increasingly going now- not spending anything until you see you have a crop there.

 

[wellingtonfarmer]

I have a field of osr that had Astrokerb, a big area has failed. I can’t remember if I turned sprayer off in the area that has failed. What will happen if I plant spring oats on it if it has had Astro kerb?

 

[Brisel]

I haven’t got the Astrokerb label to hand but you must read it to see the legal requirements.

When did you apply the Astrokerb? What surface cultivations would you do (if it were permitted) to break the layer of propyzamide?