Spring drilling 2017

[Manny]

Mzuri leg was doing quite a good job. The soil structure where I was drilling was pritty good and crumbley in most of the field. I had a 115mm wing on and it was creating a good tilth. We tryed a claydon and found in strong land here in the spring it cut slots and left them open even at the end of a dry spell at the end of April. Saying that it did pull easier than the mzuri due to not having a wing.

 

[Tractor Boy]

Mzuri leg was doing quite a good job. The soil structure where I was drilling was pritty good and crumbley in most of the field. I had a 115mm wing on and it was creating a good tilth. We tryed a claydon and found in strong land here in the spring it cut slots and left them open even at the end of a dry spell at the end of April. Saying that it did pull easier than the mzuri due to not having a wing.

Surely if a Claydon was creating slots the soil was still too wet. Doesn't that mean the Mzuri would be smearing as well but because it's moving far more soil it's covering up the damage its doing.

 

[Manny]

We find in the heavier soils especially the red marle that the soil below the wings peals up a bit leaving air pockets and a rough surface not a smeared trench. After 24 hours like we have just had this has then had time to dry a bit but not lossed all it moisture and can be rolled. Any soil the wings have lifted and left on top the has had time to haze off and crumbles down nicely with the rolls.

 

[bankrupt]

Lots of land worked up in Lincolnshire at the weekend but not drilled yet. Mostly heavier stuff that was covered in sprayed off blackgrass.

Still plenty of time for 4t/acre from Spring Barley.

 

[robbie]

Still plenty of time for 4t/acre from Spring Barley.

And there's still plenty of time for 30 cwt/acre aswell.

 

[radar]

Same here. Ran the Carrier over stubbles to open them up to dry out, now I'm rolling them down trying to keep the moisture in! Still wet as hell below 2" with the Claydon leg cutting slots but dust on top. One benefit of the dry weather will be that the slots dry a bit and crack to allow the roots through when the rain does come. What sort of job are the Mzuri legs doing? Have you got much wing on them?

Lots of land worked up in Lincolnshire at the weekend but not drilled yet. Mostly heavier stuff that was covered in sprayed off blackgrass.

Did the working up on Saturday - turned up wet and assumed that it would need till Monday to dry sufficiently. Wrong!! Gone as hard as concrete now on top.

 

[Flat 10]

Still plenty of time for 4t/acre from Spring Barley.

Bet there's not many do that now (or indeed even drilled at a more conventional 'optimum' timing)

 

[spikeislander]

Barley up in row now. Was done fairly early before it dried out.
Peas are a different story some hit moisture some not, i think it could end up at two stage which will be a right pita

 

[Andrew K]

You still using a Vaddy drill Damian?

 

[spikeislander]

Yes we are.
Bought a kv TS evo as a back up but haven't used it yet.
I prefer the vaddy.

 

[spikeislander]

Although keeping a close eye on all these fashionable direct drills. I'll need another shed just for drills

 

[Chae1]

Anyone finished? We've still 57 acres to go.

 

[Fraserb]

Anyone finished? We've still 57 acres to go.

Finished on monday, 125 acre wasn't a huge test really though

 

[Iben]

All in and up.

 

[turbo]

Although keeping a close eye on all these fashionable direct drills. I'll need another shed just for drills

Plenty of room in the sheds you have got when the yields plummet if you go dd

 

[Sandy]

Should finish on Friday I'm chasing the plough around now!

 

[Ben M]

All done. 1200acs of potatoes, beet and spring barley in the ground as of last night, nice long weekend off now for everyone before dragging reels and booms out on tuesday

 

[SRRC]

All done too. Beans, Spring Barley, Potatoes.
The last has been some Asparagus crowns, single row at 1km/hr forward speed takes all day to do about 2.5 acres. Tedious but great to see them in. Huge great things, the Dutch grower has done so well they are sending "A" grade instead of "B" because they don't have enough "B". The "A"s are usually much more expensive.

 

[Tompkins]

Hopefully get linseed in next week if the seed turns up! My fault as I only ordered it on Thursday, then plough up the maize ground. Never been this far behind!

 

[DeeGee]

You don't get much time to roll furrows this year. Normally you have at least a day to roll in moisture, but this year it is a matter of hours, and I have at times been virtually following the plough with the roller.

Okay, I admit that you can go too early when it may be sticky, but far worse is to leave it too late when the soil has dried out too much and the tractor and roller are tending to rock and ride on top instead of pressing in the soil.