Roots after roots

[MRT]

It would suit me to plant roots again in the same patch after last winters roots. How naughty is this, is it likely to fail with a carryover of root munching pests etc? It had stubble turnips, was thinking of kale/swede/turnip mix for a bit of an attempt at diversity. So yes or no? Thanks

 

[Jerry]

Club root could become an issue if you do it too often.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Why not fodder beet after a brassica?

Still better to cash in on a proper rotation.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Club root could become an issue if you do it too often.

Not to mention flea beetle & rootfly.

 

[Hesstondriver]

if its a one off then a long break not so much of an issue . too close / or frequent will bite you .

im doing forage rape after turnips because of a monumental wire worm problem

 

[deleted user 837354]

if its a one off then a long break not so much of an issue . too close / or frequent will bite you .

im doing forage rape after turnips because of a monumental wire worm problem

Wireworm risk would be a reason I wouldn't do roots to roots. Weed ingress could also be a consideration, less of an issue if you intend to graze though.

 

[Hesstondriver]

Wireworm risk would be a reason I wouldn't do roots to roots. Weed ingress could also be a consideration, less of an issue if you intend to graze though.

could you elaborate please ?

this is after long term grass , ideally retuning to grass in the future

 

[deleted user 837354]

could you elaborate please ?

this is after long term grass , ideally retuning to grass in the future

With root crops you literally have zero chances against wireworm because it all happens underground where they get at the tuber. It is often worse in the second year after long term grass, the theory being that they have less stuff available to eat in year 2. Maize is also potentially high risk because of a limited number of seeds per square metre. Cereals are in theory safer, I have had wireworm attack cereals but not ever enough for me to really be concerned about the crop, other members here may disagree though.

Growing back to back beet can be an issue if you intend to lift them as if you get weed beet they grow between the rows etc- less of an issue in grazed crops.

Forage crops like forage kale/rape are in theory immune to wireworm as they are more of an above ground crop and you are planting plenty of seed/plants per metre and they get up and grow fast. Same applies to turnips.

Beet/spuds and wireworm are recipe for a non-fun time.

 

[East Sussex Seeds]

If you decide you wanted to plant turnips we have

Massif Maincrop Turnips at £12 kg
Stubble Turnip Seed £3.75 kg

We also have other brassica Seed in stock

Hobson Forage Rape £4 kg
Emerald Forage Rape £3.48 kg
Rebound Hybrid Kale £4.70 kg
Crimson Clover Seed £4 kg

Prices delivered 25kg or more next working day


DSV POLLANUM WESTERWORLD £2.36 per kg
DSV ARMAN ITALIAN RYEGRASS £2.28 per kg

[email protected]

 

[Skater]

With root crops you literally have zero chances against wireworm because it all happens underground where they get at the tuber. It is often worse in the second year after long term grass, the theory being that they have less stuff available to eat in year 2. Maize is also potentially high risk because of a limited number of seeds per square metre. Cereals are in theory safer, I have had wireworm attack cereals but not ever enough for me to really be concerned about the crop, other members here may disagree though.

Growing back to back beet can be an issue if you intend to lift them as if you get weed beet they grow between the rows etc- less of an issue in grazed crops.

Forage crops like forage kale/rape are in theory immune to wireworm as they are more of an above ground crop and you are planting plenty of seed/plants per metre and they get up and grow fast. Same applies to turnips.

Beet/spuds and wireworm are recipe for a non-fun time.

The theory about it being worse is, a theory. Even in WWII when they did a massive amount of work on the subject, it was better one year and not the other. When you think about it, we will usually roundup the grass off and as it is pretty well dead unlike 100 years ago, its a different situation. Wireworms do not behave like people think they do.
Fact 1, they do not feed constantly
Fact 2 they can survive months without any obvious food
Fact 3 they are OMNIVORES and some are mainly predatory
Fact 4 they are not a thing, we have many species and not all are plant pests
Fact 5, the 5 year life cycle is only for certain species and its most likely shorter too, 14 months at a constant 20C in a lab.
As far as more recent work into this, there has been work done in Canada where they had a lot of problems and yes, mainly the same Agriotes species as we have. There was very little difference in reality if it was spring or winter killed. I know some of the researchers involved here and they do fantastic work
https://peipotatoagronomy.com/wp-co...W-Webinar-Rotation-Insecticides-C-Noronha.pdf

The two year buckwheat or mustard crops, the evidence from recent work in France is that click beetles dont like laying eggs in these crops, and this is known here, monocots are their favoured place.

There is quite a bit of research going on in the UK, happy to advise. I dont sell anything