Sowing ww in February ?

[warksfarmer]

Feb march on paper driest. August wettest. In terms of stuff falling from sky. However soil usually at capacity in Feb, and lower evaporation and transpiration rates.

A low humidity day in July can shift 8mm of rain. You need some exceptional weather to get land planted here in Feb, and the risk is not the planting, but the weather in the following days as the soil seldom has the ability to absorb 12mm of rain at that time without it sitting round the seed.

One of the reasons we’ve gone with a Triton drill because the closing blade covers the seed whilst creating a slot to let the water away. The drill will drill in extreme conditions if you can pull it.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Feb march on paper driest. August wettest. In terms of stuff falling from sky. However soil usually at capacity in Feb, and lower evaporation and transpiration rates.

A low humidity day in July can shift 8mm of rain. You need some exceptional weather to get land planted here in Feb, and the risk is not the planting, but the weather in the following days as the soil seldom has the ability to absorb 12mm of rain at that time without it sitting round the seed.

Two really good drying days of cold easterlies will dry half of mine out, confident that is going in.

The heavy stuff two weeks from very wet to been able to drill it. More likely gets dry then a bit of rain & gets drier still so a month of better than average weather.

 

[chipchap]

The kit is so big and heavy these days.

When I was a boy Dad used to drill with a MF 30 drill pulled by a MF 168.

 

[Devil's advocate]

The kit is so big and heavy these days.

When I was a boy Dad used to drill with a MF 30 drill pulled by a MF 168.

I'd love to try it again, using light weight kit but modern sprays & methods.

Sadly I'm busy doing other things & use contractors.

 

[Wombat]

The kit is so big and heavy these days.

When I was a boy Dad used to drill with a MF 30 drill pulled by a MF 168.

The issue the with the 30 is this, If it isn’t blowing off dry behind the drill it picks up on the wheels and stops it.

 

[Devil's advocate]

The issue the with the 30 is this, If it isn’t blowing off dry behind the drill it picks up on the wheels and stops it.

View attachment 1146446

A low loader & no reekie transport kit would solve that.

We used a grey fergie drill in the 80's behind a DB 780, I think we had less weight on the land. It needed better discs & tubes though.

 

[john63]

The issue the with the 30 is this, If it isn’t blowing off dry behind the drill it picks up on the wheels and stops it.

View attachment 1146446

Can't say we've suffered that issue despite being on heavy land - the tyres on ours seems to self clean pretty well.

 

[Wombat]

A low loader & no reekie transport kit would solve that.

We used a grey fergie drill in the 80's behind a DB 780, I think we had less weight on the land. It needed better discs & tubes though

happens on both ends but that’s worse as it stops the wheel, the other end will drag. Suppose it depends what people call heavy land

 

[Flat 10]

happens on both ends but that’s worse as it stops the wheel, the other end will drag. Suppose it depends what people call heavy land

Is the tyre pumped up abut too hard? Just a suggestion

 

[Wombat]

Is the tyre pumped up abut too hard? Just a suggestion

Nope just all my fields have mg index of 5 and over

 

[Enry]

February 2020 I planted skyfall it did ok, 2.75 tons acre. Just planted a high seed rate. Was cheaper to grow no pre ems, no Atlantis type products. Just sprayed for broadleaf weeds and 2 fungicides.

this is what Im thinking - be patient

 

[Devil's advocate]

happens on both ends but that’s worse as it stops the wheel, the other end will drag. Suppose it depends what people call heavy land

it was never an issue here.

 

[czechmate]

My issue in 2019 was planting in late October/ November and not being able to travel and get pre ems on. Rubbish March and late Pacifica. Still recovering from blackgrass seed return. I may have been better off with feb planting.

My dad always used to say plant a crop in any month except December.

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that sound very sensible

 

[Boysground]

that sound very sensible

Finished yesterday December 1st

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[czechmate]

Finished yesterday December 1st

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there is to be a frost tomorrow morning but I just can’t be inspired to sow in December

 

[Boysground]

there is to be a frost tomorrow morning but I just can’t be inspired to sow in December

Often my problem when it’s cold out and the heater on in the office

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[czechmate]

Often my problem when it’s cold out and the heater on in the office

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we are right modern here, our tractors have heaters

 

[Andy26]

This was broadcast and harrowed in, the 12th Dec 2013:

From: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/what-am-i-trying-to-achieve.38116/post-751596

IIRC it didn't emerge for at least a month, cheap to grow.

 

[Billboy1]

only done it once a long time ago mid febdrilled i think the variety was mission did 3t/a cheap to grow

 

[WRXppp]

only done it once a long time ago mid febdrilled i think the variety was mission did 3t/a cheap to grow

Mission was a mid 80’s variety, was a miller, I remember cutting a field with a Dominator 85 for our contractor as they had a Dominator 106 on demo which was a 108 inside so needed another driver 1985 it was another wet year, hell of a job getting spuds picked but then it was dry from mid November up to Christmas to the extent we could drag the spud field level again just before Christmas,
Properly wet here now with a days rain on 6 inch of snow, crows will need scuba gear to go pecking my 4 week sown winter barley, been out of the ground 10days now fingers crossed it’s not drowned.