Weed control in organic arable crops ?

[vinnie123]

Evening all .

As part of our rotation on the dairy we have around 150 ac of oats and wheat in the ground, it’s predominantly heavy clay land but (ploughed out of grass and p/Harrow drilled- rolled ) all crops are looking well at the moment and historically “winter well “ then come spring the weeds get a hold and everything struggles.

It’s all well and good to stick with the “its only a break crop” and “it’s organic what do you expect” train of thought but Although the forager is always an option and weeds generally get picked up before maturity it would be nice to improve the quality of these crops as the weeds don’t fill the bulk tank !

Looking round his week my first thought is a severe spring tine harrowing as soon as the ground will travel in the spring. What methods are others using successfully in organic situations?

Tia

 

[Exfarmer]

Sheep!

 

[vinnie123]

Sheep!

What’s the latest stage that a crop can be grazed off? Sheep would just sink at the moment

 

[Exfarmer]

What’s the latest stage that a crop can be grazed off? Sheep would just sink at the moment

Before it starts jointing

 

[glasshouse]

Evening all .

As part of our rotation on the dairy we have around 150 ac of oats and wheat in the ground, it’s predominantly heavy clay land but (ploughed out of grass and p/Harrow drilled- rolled ) all crops are looking well at the moment and historically “winter well “ then come spring the weeds get a hold and everything struggles.

It’s all well and good to stick with the “its only a break crop” and “it’s organic what do you expect” train of thought but Although the forager is always an option and weeds generally get picked up before maturity it would be nice to improve the quality of these crops as the weeds don’t fill the bulk tank !

Looking round his week my first thought is a severe spring tine harrowing as soon as the ground will travel in the spring. What methods are others using successfully in organic situations?

Tia

Harrow it severely as early as you can in spring
Dont autumn sow it early and dont roll it

 

[Muddyroads]

@Al R

 

[vinnie123]

Harrow it severely as early as you can in spring
Dont autumn sow it early and dont roll it

Interested to know why NOT to roll ?

 

[Martyn]

What drill rate have you used, I know seeds not cheep, but I swear by drilling at 95 kg rather than the 80 recommended always helps to smother out the weeds.

 

[vinnie123]

What drill rate have you used, I know seeds not cheep, but I swear by drilling at 95 kg rather than the 80 recommended always helps to smother out the weeds.

Oats at 75 and wheat at 90.

 

[Martyn]

Oats at 75 and wheat at 90.

Our organic misconi oats were over 90, I think it would pay you dividends with yeild and weed control. We roll in the spring.

 

[ploughman1963]

Only have experience of organic Oats (Mascani) but we sow at 190kg/ha, usually mid October onwards and dont roll. The oats smother out all weeds except for charlock and grandad docks. Usually end up with shoulder high crop at combining. Was persuaded to grass harrow the oats hard one year to try to control the charlock but worst decision ever! ust reduced plant population which gave weed a chance! Understand the rough harrowing treatment works well on wheat but it certainly doesnt on oats.

 

[glasshouse]

Interested to know why NOT to roll ?

Soil needs to be loose so weeds dont get a grip

 

[glasshouse]

Only have experience of organic Oats (Mascani) but we sow at 190kg/ha, usually mid October onwards and dont roll. The oats smother out all weeds except for charlock and grandad docks. Usually end up with shoulder high crop at combining. Was persuaded to grass harrow the oats hard one year to try to control the charlock but worst decision ever! ust reduced plant population which gave weed a chance! Understand the rough harrowing treatment works well on wheat but it certainly doesnt on oats.

Yes
Harrowing can make things worse, and it brings up stones

 

[pom]

I think you will find that your weeds on an organic farm will be determined by your soil type and amount of grass in the rotation.your heavy fertile soil with plenty of grass in the rotation will probably have plenty of docks where my thin Cotswold brash has wild oats and charlock,so you have to go about controlling your weed the you grow.so good luck and enjoy one of the many problems of growing organic cereals.

 

[vinnie123]

I think you will find that your weeds on an organic farm will be determined by your soil type and amount of grass in the rotation.your heavy fertile soil with plenty of grass in the rotation will probably have plenty of docks where my thin Cotswold brash has wild oats and charlock,so you have to go about controlling your weed the you grow.so good luck and enjoy one of the many problems of growing organic cereals.

What sort of seed rates are you using on the brashy ground ?

 

[pom]

Well what we do and what we should do is not the same .we are told due to seed being our only major input we should be planting new high vigor organic seed at high seed rates depending on thousand grain weight,about 25% higher than conventional and not before the end of October . But in reality if using new seed which due its high price is only one field year and planted first is about 75kg/acre .the norm being home saved and about 100kg/acre depending on conditions.

 

[vinnie123]

Got some wildlife about !

 

[glasshouse]

View attachment 997948Got some wildlife about !

What are they?
Wireworms?

 

[vinnie123]

Yep! That is from a square foot ! Bloody things