Right then. It's fodder rape time. :(

[Nearly]

Ok @Great In Grass after 2 months with no rain on a sand farm it's time to send me some fodder rape seed please.

Unless anyone else can do me a rain dance?

 

[Bury the Trash]

At this time of year, I have never seen it so dry i must admit.

It's not an expensive type of seed, sowing it could be worth the risk as theres no grass cover anyway.....

 

[spin cycle]

ERMm.....won't forage rape require rain to grow

 

[Nearly]

Yes but it will rain at some time. If I have the seed I'm ready.
Going to be a long winter if I haven't anything to feed.
Just ordered a wagon and drag of wheat straw.
Not panicing but I'd rather have it and not need it.

 

[jondear]

We were going to plant some but I don't think the field would plough now!

 

[Bury the Trash]

ERMm.....won't forage rape require rain to grow

The risk, worth the risk ? ........ as in if it does rain it will give more keep than the grass or rather the ground that was took out

We were going to plant some but I don't think the field would plough now!

Hard it s true but a Bit around here has just been ploughed aftercut for maize, bit of a gamble I guess

And No glypho needed !

 

[spin cycle]

The risk, worth the risk ? ........ as in if it does rain it will give more keep than the grass or rather the ground that was took out

HMMm...... depends on flea beetle pressure....couldn't do it round my way i doubt....i'm clinging to the hope that ,being early. there's a good flush of grass to come when it rains

 

[Nearly]

We were going to plant some but I don't think the field would plough now!

2 years ago (July 2018) I just banged the combination on and drilled it into the grass sward, which was about dead anyway. This pic was into a failed reseed. Vigorous but full of fat hen.

 

[Bury the Trash]

HMMm...... depends on flea beetle pressure....couldn't do it round my way i doubt....i'm clinging to the hope that ,being early. there's a good flush of grass to come when it rains

I'm not seeing so much flea beetle pressure this year as last tbh. Job to tell really tho as not much fodder beet has even come up yet..

 

[DrWazzock]

I drilled mine back in May before the last big rain event( a whopping 8mm) then had no rain since. It’s fed the beetles buts that’s all it will feed, apart from one block which has no beetles but it smothered by cranesbill. ?

 

[neilo]

I'm not seeing so much flea beetle pressure this year as last tbh. Job to tell really tho as not much fodder beet has even come up yet..

same here. No sign of flea beetle on the odd beet seedlings that have emerged, but sprayed the bird seed mixes (with mustard) and the forage rape a couple of days ago. Plenty of the little buggers making an appearance.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Dont assume that because it worked 2 years ago it will work now . All I can think is dont plough, and try and get hold of some thin slurry to plaster on it for a few days after

 

[Nearly]

Seed ordered, rain promised a week after delivery too. That's service.

Ordered a wagon and drag of big square bale straw last night. If it looks ok I'll squeeze a second one in the shed.
Looks like tractors living outside all winter again.
Not panicing but can see what's on my farm.
8 ibc's booked from local distillery, ringing round for prices on molasses.

 

[som farmer]

patches of forage rape, sown last year, took up to 8 weeks to emerge, but it did come up ! Working on the principle, if its not sown, it cant grow ! We have 19 acres of kale or forage rape in, its all up, but slow, hopefully prioritising root growth to find the moisture, everything drilled, principle, nearer any moisture ! But dews are heavy, bit of rain and it would grow like stink. More worrying, we will have another 11 acres of kale to go in soon, behind hybrid rye, chance the weather, or wait, for rain ? Most of the kale for outwintering, rape to feed soon !

 

[Bill dog]

Sowed and rolled 22 acre of interval hybrid yesterday. Now starts the waiting game . Waiting for rain, emerged seed, and any bugs that venture to 1000 ft north facing !!

 

[Mr always wrong]

Sowed and rolled 22 acre of interval hybrid yesterday. Now starts the waiting game . Waiting for rain, emerged seed, and any bugs that venture to 1000 ft north facing !!

Exactly what I'm doing tomorrow. So we can both be wrong

 

[deleted user 837354]

At least with forage rape if it doesn't show the seed is cheap! Beet/maize is big money.

There is no need to have weeds in forage rape. There are a few ways and means.

 

[deleted user 837354]

2 years ago (July 2018) I just banged the combination on and drilled it into the grass sward, which was about dead anyway. This pic was into a failed reseed. Vigorous but full of fat hen.

Lovely job that.

 

[steveR]

Ok @Great In Grass after 2 months with no rain on a sand farm it's time to send me some fodder rape seed please.

Unless anyone else can do me a rain dance?

Think the cows will be doing it for you!!

 

[Nearly]

Think the cows will be doing it for you!!

It hasn't rained since they went out.