Sugar Beet 2020

[Will 1594]

Hmmm... I’ll give it some thought. Generally rely on a few winter frosts then tread lightly in the spring - winter/spring ploughing will often turn over an unworkable lump.

If its that sort of land , get it ploughed end september and subsoiler or cultivated ,half worked while its dry ,
How do you put fert on ,as jamming about on stronger land ,you never get wheelings out in spring

 

[Sonoftheheir]

@robbie What results did you get with the salt?

 

[Hjwise]

If its that sort of land , get it ploughed end september and subsoiler or cultivated ,half worked while its dry ,
How do you put fert on ,as jamming about on stronger land ,you never get wheelings out in spring

Yes, usually do the work in September but interested in experimenting with a cover crop. We put turkey muck on in the Autumn then a single liquid fert on with the pre-em (though I have decided that mixing the two isn’t good, so will apply separately). Maybe I’ll just try a corner of the field...

 

[Will 1594]

Yes, usually do the work in September but interested in experimenting with a cover crop. We put turkey muck on in the Autumn then a single liquid fert on with the pre-em (though I have decided that mixing the two isn’t good, so will apply separately). Maybe I’ll just try a corner of the field...

If you want a look at our experiments , west norfolk ,
Going to plough and work in autumn ,and put a sprinkling of black oats on with seeder , off back of subsoiler on 45 cm rows on heavier ,stuff and drill between the rows , and have one field of oil raddish ,that will be direct drilled into ,
Watch out for slugs

 

[Hjwise]

Would be interesting to see. You’re not far from me.

 

[Will 1594]

Would be interesting to see. You’re not far from me.

Bit cheesed of with it all at minute , put a lot of effort in beet job , been getting good results ,but this old virus yellow job , has taken the cream off the job ,

 

[Hjwise]

Bit cheesed of with it all at minute , put a lot of effort in beet job , been getting good results ,but this old virus yellow job , has taken the cream off the job ,

We’ve got our fair share of yellow beet. Just need to relocate to the half of Europe that can use a suitable seed dressing! I wouldn’t carry on with beet if it wasn’t for the harvest/ haulage scheme - everything is lifted and gone by early October and then in to decent wheat crop.

 

[robbie]

I’m thinking of putting a vetch cover crop In before next year’s beet. Has anyone done this? Would normally plough or cultivate in the autumn then power harrow & drill in spring. Heavyish clay loam so no ploughing in the spring.

It sound from what you've said your land needs ploughing in the autumn.
If undisturbed you may make enough tilth to drill into if you dont want to plough and just tickle with the power harrow but I dont think you'll do much good with the vetch cover crop.
I've found vetch that's died of hard work to do much with, it goes quite stringy and wraps around skimmers so I'd think it would be a right pain through a power harrow.

@robbie What results did you get with the salt?

It's still sitting in a bag in the shed, I got tyed up with hay/harvest and then the 1st fungicide and the beet were flat on the floor with the heat and drought.

 

[Devil's advocate]

What about chem residue from barley , plough job really ,beet job would work for ad ,lift it in april ,then plant with salad spuds

Complete waste of time, even with swedes which are often sown June anyway.

I've drilled swedes when we have run out of cauli plants mid July grow & look great early October but never bulk up to anything useful.

 

[robbie]

What's everyone doing for there 2nd fungicide??? Are you all adding trace elements and are you going cheapo fungicide or dogs dangles.

 

[Sonoftheheir]

Escolta here, no trace elements.

 

[Daniel]

Is Mirador cheap?

Got a couple of fields that need lifting on 29th September and erasing from the memory.

 

[Flat 10]

Is Mirador cheap?

Got a couple of fields that need lifting on 29th September and erasing from the memory.

I think it’s about 60% cost of escolta. Plan on doing all mine bar 1 but plan to lift early. Fwiw will chuck epsotop in

 

[robbie]

Yes cheapish or it's the cheapest one available unless you've got some surplus epoxi in the shed.

My canopy has really greener up an looks very well sink the rain. My first fungicide was opera and I think this time I'll go with escalta+ epsotop+ mn. I may some trams with some foliar N/k for a late season boost, something like krista kplus.

 

[Sonoftheheir]

I went with Opera first time round.

 

[Daniel]

Yes cheapish or it's the cheapest one available unless you've got some surplus epoxi in the shed.

My canopy has really greener up an looks very well sink the rain. My first fungicide was opera and I think this time I'll go with escalta+ epsotop+ mn. I may some trams with some foliar N/k for a late season boost, something like krista kplus.

My Agrii agronomist recommended Opera for the first pass and Mirador for the 2nd.

 

[Honest john]

I went with Escolta at .3L & a fancy feed at T2.
TBH I don’t have have any hope of a profit from Beet in 2020. They just don’t seem to be bulking up. Even after 5” rain.

Maybe Micheal Gove has shares in Tate & Lyle.

 

[Laggard]

What varieties are people going for next year? What
about seed dressings?

 

[Banana Bar]

What varieties are people going for next year? What
about seed dressings?

Isabel with Manganese

 

[Rookie]

Looking at the details of the new contract. Have any other Newark growers realised that next season we are likely to receive less for our 'C' beet than the other 3 factories (will this be 50p/t or £5/t ?) Doesn't seem like we are all being treated fairly?
In return Newark growers only have to reach 85% of their contracted tonnage rather than 95% over a 2 year period.
Have they not realised that 99% of beet fields in the area are yellow with virus, So I would expect this to reduce the amount of beet to be processed anyway!