Summer Cover Crops

[ajd132]

What is everyone thinking on this? I have winter triticale for AD being foraged in June, so was always planning to do a summer cover crop with legumes infront of the following wheat. There is now talk of SFI payments for this scenario which is another bonus.
My initial thoughts were something containing perhaps vetch, beseem clover, peas, buckwheat and some sunflowers because my kids like them. I reckon this can be done sensibly for £30-40/ha. any thoughts or anyone planning anything different in this kind of scenario?

 

[Heathland]

What is everyone thinking on this? I have winter triticale for AD being foraged in June, so was always planning to do a summer cover crop with legumes infront of the following wheat. There is now talk of SFI payments for this scenario which is another bonus.
My initial thoughts were something containing perhaps vetch, beseem clover, peas, buckwheat and some sunflowers because my kids like them. I reckon this can be done sensibly for £30-40/ha. any thoughts or anyone planning anything different in this kind of scenario?

I was going for a legume fallow NUM3 due to failed osr crop,very wet couple of fields,but I was told its got to late now as it wouldn't fulfil the criteria,(it wouldn't flower in time).
Possibly affecting next years cropping plan, so its just gone in with S Barley
That was from someone selling me the seed aswell.

 

[Salopian_Will]

What is everyone thinking on this? I have winter triticale for AD being foraged in June, so was always planning to do a summer cover crop with legumes infront of the following wheat. There is now talk of SFI payments for this scenario which is another bonus.
My initial thoughts were something containing perhaps vetch, beseem clover, peas, buckwheat and some sunflowers because my kids like them. I reckon this can be done sensibly for £30-40/ha. any thoughts or anyone planning anything different in this kind of scenario?

I have a pile of autumn cover crop left over which I am going to stick in next week on areas of failed rape/wheat. Vetches, spring linseed, burseem clover buckwheat and phacelia. Very similar to yours. My only concern is slugs in the following wheat meaning getting it killed plenty early enough and by planting it now I will undoubtedly have to top it to stop it going to seed.

 

[Wigeon]

I did this last yr, though un-funded.

50% home saved spring linseed. 10kgs /ha

The rest: sunflowers, buckwheat, berseem, millet, crimson clover, phacerlia, vetch. 10kgs /ha total

Drilled 20th + June.

Grew like a rain forest

Topped 25th Sept.

Following wheat generally looks mega.

 

[Salopian_Will]

I did this last yr, though un-funded.

50% home saved spring linseed. 10kgs /ha

The rest: sunflowers, buckwheat, berseem, millet, crimson clover, phacerlia, vetch. 10kgs /ha total

Drilled 20th + June.

Grew like a rain forest

Topped 25th Sept.

Following wheat generally looks mega.

I was thinking 5 -7kg/ha for my combined mix. I was about 10kg/ha and the late August sown stuff was plenty thick enough.

 

[BenAdamsAgri]

What is everyone thinking on this? I have winter triticale for AD being foraged in June, so was always planning to do a summer cover crop with legumes infront of the following wheat. There is now talk of SFI payments for this scenario which is another bonus.
My initial thoughts were something containing perhaps vetch, beseem clover, peas, buckwheat and some sunflowers because my kids like them. I reckon this can be done sensibly for £30-40/ha. any thoughts or anyone planning anything different in this kind of scenario?

I would add few kg of linseed and no more than 0.5kg phacelia

 

[ajd132]

I would add few kg of linseed and no more than 0.5kg phacelia

Yeh I should have added that, I usually use those components in those amounts

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Is this an opportunity to get some warm season grasses going? Apart from maize, what are the options?

I want to be able to graze in the event of a drought (!) or shortage of forage, so shying away from buckwheat and not too much linseed.

Hemp is another plant I've heard suggested.

 

[AlphaBravoPapaSux]

Is this an opportunity to get some warm season grasses going? Apart from maize, what are the options?

I want to be able to graze in the event of a drought (!) or shortage of forage, so shying away from buckwheat and not too much linseed.

Hemp is another plant I've heard suggested.

I’ve gone for red millet, white millet, sunflower, spring vetch, linseed, berseem clover, phacelia. 15kg/ha total. £35/ha

 

[cquick]

Sudangrass is a solid (but relatively expensive) choice.
By god, do I wish hemp was legal. It would be perfect in cover crops.

 

[Pieces_of_Eight]

By god, do I wish hemp was legal. It would be perfect in cover crops.

Is it illegal to buy hempseed and grow it without harvesting anything?

Flax?

 

[yellow belly]

Is it illegal to buy hempseed and grow it without harvesting anything?

Flax?

you need a licence to grow hempseed commercially

 

[DieselRob]

you need a licence to grow hempseed commercially

It’s not commercially… it’s for personal use

 

[Pieces_of_Eight]

It’s not commercially… it’s for personal use

That would sort of apply, because you don't sell a cover crop

 

[Pieces_of_Eight]

Would be interesting to run it past them...

[email protected]

Pardon our interruption...

 

[nxy]

Is this an opportunity to get some warm season grasses going? Apart from maize, what are the options?

I want to be able to graze in the event of a drought (!) or shortage of forage, so shying away from buckwheat and not too much linseed.

Hemp is another plant I've heard suggested.

Foxtail Millet, White Millet, Sudan grass and Sorghum would all be cheaper options instead of maize with or without a short term clover. We have tried them all but generally the foxtail millet seed (called Moha here) is the cheapest and it seems to do as well as any of them. We have successfully home saved the seed from May sown millet too. If the weather stays as it is we shall give up on the maize and plant one of the above.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Is this an opportunity to get some warm season grasses going? Apart from maize, what are the options?

I want to be able to graze in the event of a drought (!) or shortage of forage, so shying away from buckwheat and not too much linseed.

Hemp is another plant I've heard suggested.

Millet/sorghum. Planted into hot soil in June it will grow like a fury and provides a lot of cover and seed for birds (possibly pheasants/partridge) to eat. Can also be grazed.

If you spray the stuff do not use nicosulfuron 'because it is used on maize and should be ok'. Another T shirt I collected in the past... Another option could be straight sunflowers.

 

[Bogweevil]

If growing root crops then biofumigant brassica to push back soil problems when incorporated - about £30 per hectare according to Boston seeds: https://www.bostonseeds.com/product...rassica juncea),,sowing, is also Winter hardy.

If brassica crops in rotation I like Japanese oats but they are closer to £60 hectare - it can be a beast for biomass.

 

[Pieces_of_Eight]

Another option could be straight sunflowers.

Massive seed cost, but a harvestable crop?

 

[Regenerator1]

What is everyone thinking on this? I have winter triticale for AD being foraged in June, so was always planning to do a summer cover crop with legumes infront of the following wheat. There is now talk of SFI payments for this scenario which is another bonus.
My initial thoughts were something containing perhaps vetch, beseem clover, peas, buckwheat and some sunflowers because my kids like them. I reckon this can be done sensibly for £30-40/ha. any thoughts or anyone planning anything different in this kind of scenario?

Grow a straight crop of mustard behind the trit.. Harvest the seed as next years cover crop and plant winter wheat in Oct... triple cash crop... winner