Seeing Less Blackgrass

[FarmerBruce]

Cant agree more, but then maybe I am biased working in the drainage industry. It always amazes me that all the BG conversations revolve around chemicals, crop rotations, tillage method etc, but very few people associate good drainage with helping BG control! I have looked and never found any research or findings that have looked at this properly. When I talk to some of the drainage contractors that we supply about their experiences, they all recognise that it is part of the fight. A number of them can recall fields that have high BG problems, they drain them and the following years they see reduced BG? It would be interesting to hear from land owners and growers that have any experience of the effects of land drainage on BG control.

Any comments?

So therefore farmers on the wolds shouldn't have any blackgrass!!! I bet they really wish that was the case!

 

[ajd132]

Pretty disappointed with some of the winter wheat after spring beans and osr. There will be quite a big seed return but there won't be any yield loss as no really bad patches like last year.
However this is the first year we have seriously grown spring crops so I think if we stick to the plan with a lot of double spring breaks, drill the winter wheat after the middle of October and avoid second wheat we should be looking a lot better in a few years.

 

[turbo]

Just to prove that I have bg and that pre ems work.

 

[jack6480]

Winter ploughing work?

 

[spikeislander]

Very pleased on ours up to yet.
I think avadex has had a good year this year.

 

[franklin]

Yes, very good control on Avadex fb loads of flufenacet in one hit.

Patches popping up as you drive about though.

 

[dirty harry]

Ploughing still has a place not just for blackgrass control but showing the soil some daylight & letting some air in.

Mole draining has a place & does help blackgrass control- we are doing more & more contract moling each year , & working round our own every 4-5 years now.

Btw we don't just plough , our crops are anything from direct drill, scratch with a joker, sumo or ploughed - or a combination of scratch then plough for example - imo it's just choosing the right machine/ time for each field (or part field)?

Every days a learning day!!
Cheers dh