To drill OSR or not

[Fred]

This is the big question that is constantly being asked ,

Are you going to drill OSR this autumn , consistently the best break crop margin , ok it has a fair bit of hassle to grow , pigeons , slugs etc.

But my big question is this, have we reached peak CSFB yet, 95% of our OSR will make it to harvest this year, but will CSFB be even a bigger problem this autumn?

My reasons are thus, Zero control of CSFB last autumn, leads to a bigger hatching this spring , hence why some OSR is absolutely nailed , which will lead to an even bigger problem this autumn , with , most people saying they are going to grow less , the problem is multiplied, more CSFB looking for less homes .

So do we
1 Cut and run, walk away from OSR & not grow it ,
2 Cut the amount we grow right down &
3 Establish it cheaply as possible, only taking to harvest the viable crop,
4 Go for it , hybrid seed , early nutrition and hope last year was the perfect storm for CSFB and this year can't be as bad

 

[Tompkins]

Option 3 mainly. Will probably plan to spend a bit more on the early drilled stuff post winter barley but the rest will be FSS at a decent rate and perhaps a small dollop of N. Acreage similar to this year.

 

[Flat 10]

Did 3 this year. Either 1 or 3 next.

 

[snarling bee]

If moisture in ground before Aug 15th then try some, if dry then none will be sown here.
Can't decide on cheap and cheerful or Clearfield and mustard companion crop.

 

[teslacoils]

None. Sod it. Last year's osr is currently winter barley. Year before redrilled with wheat. Too risky now on my own bit. Going to grow some silage....and buy some cows.

 

[Lincsman]

Drill with lots of home saved seed off the heap and keep what looks ok... currently 100% of last years drilling.

 

[tr250]

None. Sod it. Last year's osr is currently winter barley. Year before redrilled with wheat. Too risky now on my own bit. Going to grow some silage....and buy some cows.

Think I'd prefer flee beetle to tb though.

 

[Flat 10]

Think I'd prefer flee beetle to tb though.

That is seriously putting me off getting cows

 

[Against_the_grain]

Option 2 here. 133ha this year looking like 25ha next year. Cant see the point in growing a crop with the huge amount of risk and no way to manage that risk except some anecdotal evidence which lets face it is spurious at best. Poor old pollinators are really going to suffer with no flowering plants left.

 

[willy]

What other break would you use @Fred, I'm going to carry on as usual for another year, As i feel last autumn was a perfect storm.
To be fair I got away with it although the drought has seriously limited my light land.

I just can't find a good other option.

 

[Shutesy]

Option 3, decent rate (8-10kg/ha) of FSS, drilled either v early August or mid September, more based on fields being cleared and the weather around drilling time. If its dry I will wait till it looks like certain rain but try and avoid what seems to be peak flea beetle season around mid-late august. Liquid N to give some kind of boost to establishment, either the OSR will use it or and crop following a failure will use it in the autumn so not a 'wasted' input if it goes wrong. Am debating though whether to switch from the liquid N and see if I can get hold of 80ac worth of sewage sludge as the smell plus nutrition seems to help a lot in regard to flea beetle levels from what I have seen in other peoples pictures. If not that then tempted to carry on the smell deterant theme with some garlic type spray. See if there's anything in my theory of masking the smell of the OSR seedlings from the flea beetle whilst the crop gets established. Need to start thinking outside of the box a bit I think.

 

[tr250]

We are going to drill the same acreage as normal but probably go really early as it's after w barley and if it gets too proud graze it with sheep.

 

[principal skinner]

Trouble is I thought I had a crop up until mid/late March and now I haven’t. Not drilling any this year

 

[Claasact]

Home saved seed OK but have risk from euric acid, charlock etc. Also problem if clubroot resistance needed

 

[Against_the_grain]

Dont forget no metaldahyde going forward...and are we allowed to shoot pigeons again yet!?....ffs

 

[dirty harry]

It’s not got many friends....!!

Just a comment ref high seed rates, we did this & until 6weeks ago had perfect looking rape, but not anymore!!
Must be easier for larvae to get in a thinner stem & move about between plants?
The better looking crops round here seem to be at lower seed rates??
And the ones drilled a bit later??
God knows....!!
Cheers dh

 

[Clive]

Option 3.

Been doing it a while

Spend is low (dub £300/ha) and next input is harvest

Notill FSS high seed rate (200 seeds) - herbicide and fert my only inputs again

Crop looks good

It’s all about risk management these days not fancy agronomy

 

[Brisel]

3. No reduction in area but no fancy hybrid seed. Just farm saved at a decent rate.

 

[tr250]

We drilled this on the 11th oct pic was taken on the 24 April it's a lot more in flower now. We will see what it yields but it had very little flee beetles in autumn and we can't see any larvae

 

[willy]

We drilled this on the 11th oct pic was taken on the 24 April it's a lot more in flower now. We will see what it yields but it had very little flee beetles in autumn and we can't see any larvae
View attachment 794500

Try that with a normal autumn with cooler soils and proper winter and it will generally fail. But point is treat each season on its own merits.