Terminating cover crop, drill then muck?

[PuG]

Evening, quick question, end of May I intend on terminating our cover crop with the flail mower to direct drill Sorghum Sucro 506 (https://www.semencesdeprovence.com/sorgho-ensilage-fourrager-biomasse/catalogue/sucro-506) - after drilling I was thinking on muck spreading straight from our barns on top, semi composted straw/cow manure from our deep bed system. Just wondering if anyone else does this and if it causes any problems with germination and initial seed growth?

Its on only 2.4 Ha.

Normally I compost completely but I wanted more straw on the surface to help limit the summer evaporation, plus one of the fields with the cover crop could do with it.

Just taken pictures tonight, vetch, peas, barley and turnips.

Cheers, James

 

[Bury the Trash]

using a flail mower is hardly good conservation

 

[PuG]

using a flail mower is hardly good conservation

Sorry you will have to elaborate please - for the time/diesel of terminating? as appose to liquid sun/spraying? the field is for green manure and soil conditioning. Bio since 1989.

Its the only mower I have that won't leave the cover crop in rows. I had been trying to find a finger mower.

I could drill through it but what happens to the standing crop?

Only other equipment I have is a set of Cambridge crumble rollers to try and flatten it which might help the insects/toads survive.

 

[Samcowman]

My only concern would be with the cover crop mown off and muck on top there would be quite a layer of organic matter for the seeds to grow through especially if there is a lot of rain it could create an anaerobic layer.
Would it be possible to bale the cover crop for winter feed or get cattle to graze it down?

 

[PuG]

It could be grazed, or mowed and baled but the fields need building up - rain isn't something we suffer from Its there to help try and protect the soil drying later in the year, but I don't need to put the muck on. I thought the general recommendation was to to either plant and terminate at the same time, or a few weeks before to allow for the initial decomposition to occur?

 

[le bon paysan]

Being purely selfish, cut now and bale, spread muck and destroy mid May.Just my opinion though.
Did / is it raining with you this morning?

 

[PuG]

Just having some rain now thankfully and starting to hit 20 degree's, same with you? forecast has improved to a few showers till the end of the month but the grass is really on its back foot. Won't be cutting till end of May/June rate everything is looking. Neighbor's are not much better off.

Being purely selfish, cut now and bale

Sorely tempting but we set out end of last year to leave it on the field so going to stick to my guns on this. The amount of bales it could produce won't make a big enough difference, cash crop will be the Sorghum if I can get it going. Last year second cut of Sorghum I mulched start of July and in August:

26/08/2019:
2" depth. Non mulched 25.8c. Mulched (and visibly damp at that depth) 23.8c

 

[le bon paysan]

No rain but 27mm Sunday afternoon/ evening and about 18C.

 

[Samcowman]

It could be grazed, or mowed and baled but the fields need building up - rain isn't something we suffer from Its there to help try and protect the soil drying later in the year, but I don't need to put the muck on. I thought the general recommendation was to to either plant and terminate at the same time, or a few weeks before to allow for the initial decomposition to occur?

With your dry climate maybe mowing ahead would help and letting it dry out in time for planting. Then preparing for the worst there could be regrowth. If grass is going to be short I would be inclined to graze it hard now then graze again just after drilling, they should trample some at the time. Then you could always spread your muck then after second grazing. Will also give your grass a chance to build up.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Sorry you will have to elaborate please - for the time/diesel of terminating? as appose to liquid sun/spraying? the field is for green manure and soil conditioning. Bio since 1989.

Its the only mower I have that won't leave the cover crop in rows. I had been trying to find a finger mower.

I could drill through it but what happens to the standing crop?

Only other equipment I have is a set of Cambridge crumble rollers to try and flatten it which might help the insects/toads survive.

rollers will be lower cost.

flail mower is expensive to run and the remains will oxidize away to not a lot .

 

[AF Salers]

Don't spread fresh muck on after drilling, especially if very strawy. I did this once with spring barley and had a very poor crop. The microbes rob all N from there surroundings, including any inorganic applied in order to breakdown the Carbon in the straw. Compost it/let it stand over summer and apply in the autumn.

 

[PuG]

I'll skip which case with the fresh muck. I've got some piles of compost I can demolish instead, thanks.

rollers will be lower cost.

flail mower is expensive to run and the remains will oxidize away to not a lot .

I think after sitting 15+ years on the Cornish cliffs, 6 acres of vetch and barley will make sod all difference I was going to open the back hatch and attach a rear skirt so it drops down just behind the roller, only chops it about 12" and its quick going.

If I knew the crumble rollers would do the job then I would happily use them, but I'm not sure it will kill it off given even with proper crimp rollers some people seem to have difficulties. Once its flat on the ground mowing it would be a sod.

With your dry climate maybe mowing ahead would help and letting it dry out in time for planting. Then preparing for the worst there could be regrowth. If grass is going to be short I would be inclined to graze it hard now then graze again just after drilling, they should trample some at the time. Then you could always spread your muck then after second grazing. Will also give your grass a chance to build up.

Planting 20Ha this year, so my intention is to mow then drill straight afterwards - good idea on letting the beef in to tidy it up. Autumn I will intermix with vetch/barely/pea's etc, let the last growth of Sudal/Millet/Moha die back for green manure over winter, and with any luck cut grass again come late May and hopefully whole crop the vetch/corn/peas.

 

[steveR]

I think after sitting 15+ years on the Cornish cliffs, 6 acres of vetch and barley will make sod all difference I was going to open the back hatch and attach a rear skirt so it drops down just behind the roller, only chops it about 12" and its quick going.

That is what I do with material I want to essentially just top, but not pulverise to bits. Open the rear door, and let the material come out of the back asap. Not really done for DD in the past, more to improve performance of the machine, tractor on eco PTO and ticking over at 1500RPM. Stock are happy to eat the cut material if "topping" a pasture this way too, but not your levels of crop.

Does the "skirt" work? I ask, as I find that the material just comes out and spreads a bit, but it's all ending up on the floor one way or another anyway!

Got to say, I do like your cover crop, superb looking. Would it bale...or would it need clamping?

 

[PuG]

Thanks, I reckon it would bale just fine, its knee height in the fields itself, and TBH I would probably try for hay, or haylage but not this year.

I never understood why allot of flails never have a hatch - hell of a difference on reeds, stops it from bogging down. I might use it for cutting the Sorghum Sucre 506 if it really does get to 12ft, then rake/bale after some wilting. We don't have a harvester, and I'm not sure the rake could row up 3.5m long stems? and whether the baler would equally enjoy.

Let you know on the skirt if it works for this - same as your flies out the back but I want to go for an even distribution rather than launching it onto the road or leaving bald spots. Cheers

 

[Samcowman]

Thanks, I reckon it would bale just fine, its knee height in the fields itself, and TBH I would probably try for hay, or haylage but not this year.

I never understood why allot of flails never have a hatch - hell of a difference on reeds, stops it from bogging down. I might use it for cutting the Sorghum Sucre 506 if it really does get to 12ft, then rake/bale after some wilting. We don't have a harvester, and I'm not sure the rake could row up 3.5m long stems? and whether the baler would equally enjoy.

Let you know on the skirt if it works for this - same as your flies out the back but I want to go for an even distribution rather than launching it onto the road or leaving bald spots. Cheers

Could deal with the Sorghum the same as we do Miscanthus. Chopper with maize header on without the belly plate in so leaves a swath underneath then baled up if you want to bale it