Sowing winter barley in the spring

[jett]

As the title states has anyone sown winter barley in the spring (March/early April)? The weather this autumn has stopped me from sowing the intended area (over 9 inches since the 1st September). I appreciate spring barley may be a better option but this will require buying yet more seed. Any thoughts welcome.

 

[bankrupt]

As the title states has anyone sown winter barley in the spring (March/early April)? The weather this autumn has stopped me from sowing the intended area (over 9 inches since the 1st September). I appreciate spring barley may be a better option but this will require buying yet more seed. Any thoughts welcome.

We put in all ours a couple of weeks ago but looks like it's going to be a failure - similar rains to you.

You may have three better options than us :-

(1) A window in November.

(2) A window in February/ March.

(3) Holdover your WB seed to next autumn (Our Hybrid WB seed purchased in June this year was held over from 2023).


One of the most vigorous crops of WB ever grown here was planted on 9th November 2012.

 

[Spencer]

As the title states has anyone sown winter barley in the spring (March/early April)? The weather this autumn has stopped me from sowing the intended area (over 9 inches since the 1st September). I appreciate spring barley may be a better option but this will require buying yet more seed. Any thoughts welcome.

Depends if you want silage or grain?

 

[Woody j]

As the title states has anyone sown winter barley in the spring (March/early April)? The weather this autumn has stopped me from sowing the intended area (over 9 inches since the 1st September). I appreciate spring barley may be a better option but this will require buying yet more seed. Any thoughts welcome.

Sow spring barley keep the winter seed for next year

 

[farmerm]

Sow spring barley keep the winter seed for next year

Of the year after, or the year after…. Is this weather the new normal

 

[Sam Partridge]

As the title states has anyone sown winter barley in the spring (March/early April)? The weather this autumn has stopped me from sowing the intended area (over 9 inches since the 1st September). I appreciate spring barley may be a better option but this will require buying yet more seed. Any thoughts welcome.

Wait for a frosty period in winter? We drilled WB end of January and it came good. Only ever heard of WW being drilled through the winter. Agronomist assured us it would be fine and he was right! We are Light soil in south Devon though so your situation may be different

 

[Brisel]

As the title states has anyone sown winter barley in the spring (March/early April)? The weather this autumn has stopped me from sowing the intended area (over 9 inches since the 1st September). I appreciate spring barley may be a better option but this will require buying yet more seed. Any thoughts welcome.

Winter varieties need vernalisation, so may not have enough cold period after germination to develop seed that spring. Order your spring barley seed ASAP before it sells out and keep the winter barley for next autumn.

 

[jett]

Winter varieties need vernalisation, so may not have enough cold period after germination to develop seed that spring. Order your spring barley seed ASAP before it sells out and keep the winter barley for next autumn.

Thanks for all the advice above. I will order the spring barley seed and keep the winter for hopefully a better autumn next year

 

[Average Farmerboy]

We planted winter barley the end of March this year, variety was Surge, did fine no records lot cheaper than spring barley seed. No pgr, 2 fungicides 1 herbicide. About 2.7 ton to acre. Here is a picture of me combining it in August!

 

[jett]

We planted winter barley the end of March this year, variety was Surge, did fine no records lot cheaper than spring barley seed. No pgr, 2 fungicides 1 herbicide. About 2.7 ton to acre. Here is a picture of me combining it in August!

Wow, that looks great. Whereabouts in the UK are you based?

 

[bobk]

I sowed some in march , did fine .

 

[Little squeak]

looks a cracking crop maybe you should change your profile to "Above Average Farmerboy" did it come ready earlier than spring barley?

 

[David.]

I think later drilled crops are supposed to grow more straw. That may not be a bad thing..
But I've planted plenty in November, and it's been fine.
However, unlike the FW Pros, I've never had 4t/ac.

 

[JLLM]

Have drilled WB in March without problems, did a field of Graham and Dawsum on the 7th of March this year which ended up doing about 2t/acre.

 

[Average Farmerboy]

Wow, that looks great. Whereabouts in the UK are you based?

Tetbury Area Gloucestershire

 

[farmerm]

Have drilled WB in March without problems, did a field of Graham and Dawsum on the 7th of March this year which ended up doing about 2t/acre.

Trouble is at todays costs 2T/ac @£160/T does not break even until you add the straw value...

 

[Average Farmerboy]

looks a cracking crop maybe you should change your profile to "Above Average Farmerboy" did it come ready earlier than spring barley?

Haha, most I do only work out average! Same time as spring barley, we drilled some the same day as the winter barley and combined it the same day! The winter was slower coming into ear, but once in ear, seemed to ripen die off the same as the spring barley!

 

[Sam Partridge]

We planted winter barley the end of March this year, variety was Surge, did fine no records lot cheaper than spring barley seed. No pgr, 2 fungicides 1 herbicide. About 2.7 ton to acre. Here is a picture of me combining it in August!

A big middle finger to vernilisation! Is it a variety that stands late planting better than others?

 

[Devil's advocate]

My Tardis sown the last few days of Feb did 3ton 5cwt & loads of straw.

Cadiz spring barley 3 ton.

The winter barley had more straw & matured earlier.

Its the 4th time in my farming career & my opinion is the most profitable cereal crop winter barley sown late Feb.

Cutting late Feb sown Extase today the dry weight will be just under 3 ton/acre & I consider spring sown wheat very risky to harvest. A lot of straw which I found surprising.

 

[Average Farmerboy]

A big middle finger to vernilisation! Is it a variety that stands late planting better than others?

Don’t know about that, only ever planted surge in the autumn before. I think winter barley is better against needing vernalisation than winter wheat! I have to say I was very nervous about it until the awns starting poking out. We are 600ft above sea level if this makes any difference.