What to grow in the Spring .......?

[phr49]

With a very wet autumn and struggling to get anything in the ground what are folks thinking of as a Spring cropping alternative ?
Alot of Spring barley potentially .....anything else looking good ......?
Not sure when rice is planted .........or husbandry ........⛈?

 

[Wombat]

My concern with spring barley is if it carries on wet the world and its dog will plant it so there could be big amounts available

 

[HarryB97]

Spring Barley will be worth next to nothing as it's the easiest option and every one will grow it. Peas, Linseed, beans, oats or wheat are all potential options. Would probably be easier and more profitable to grow some maize or wholecrop for a local stock farm or ad plant, maybe stick a cover crop in and fallow some of the heaviest bits?

 

[Steevo]

I was considering fish......

 

[DRC]

Do winter oats still grow if sown in the spring, as I’ve got some left over.
Luckily we grow quite a bit of maize, with the option to grow a bit more. Also been asked to grow some beet for AD.
People could try some fodder beet for stock feed.

 

[average farmer]

Got oats, wheat, barley and pea’s in the shed. Not going to buy any expensive seed that’s for sure.

 

[tr250]

We will be growing spring barley but need 300+ tons to feed our own cattle and haven’t got any winter barley much and won’t have if it doesn’t get drilled by end of next week

 

[teslacoils]

Oats and spring barley was the plan but they will be everywhere. I think I'll try some spring milling wheat as @Woldgrain Storage can always sort the ergot!

 

[Hindsight]

Oats and spring barley was the plan but they will be everywhere. I think I'll try some spring milling wheat as @Woldgrain Storage can always sort the ergot!

Good idea. Just to cheer you further are we due a Gout fly year on spring wheat? Haven't seen any past couple of years but quite obvious in 2015 and again in 2016 crops.

 

[phr49]

Spring Barley will be worth next to nothing as it's the easiest option and every one will grow it. Peas, Linseed, beans, oats or wheat are all potential options. Would probably be easier and more profitable to grow some maize or wholecrop for a local stock farm or ad plant, maybe stick a cover crop in and fallow some of the heaviest bits?

Yes agree not keen on putting Spring barley in ....oversupply very likely.

 

[teslacoils]

Good idea. Just to cheer you further are we due a Gout fly year on spring wheat? Haven't seen any past couple of years but quite obvious in 2015 and again in 2016 crops.

Last drilled spring wheat in 2012. Was crap then. Might just go for grass. I am toying with the idea of leaving the barley volunteers and see in spring if some cheap inputs will produce some reasonable silage.

 

[snarling bee]

cover crop fallow, sort the BG out.
spring barley as usual on contract, spring wheat, spring bean seed going to be too expensive to make a margin.

 

[TheEarlOfMoray]

Don’t grow spring barley. It will be worth nothing with the amount going in. Already over supplied up here this year and worth damn all.

 

[snarling bee]

If you are replying to me - contract already secured, 50% of price based on wheat. This year we are getting a healthy premium over malting.

 

[nick...]

Will put in a cover crop here.hopefully something cheap and mix some mustard in too
Nick...

 

[farmerm]

2012 we had some decent and very cheap to grow spring wheats...
3 days drying like yesterday afternoon and we would have got our ploughed barley ground fit to drill but it didn't dry for first 3 days after I ploughed it so plan A is now fkd… Spring wheat after a second wheat probably not a great option?

 

[bobk]

2012 we had some decent and very cheap to grow spring wheats...
3 days drying like yesterday afternoon and we would have got our ploughed barley ground fit to drill but it didn't dry for first 3 days after I ploughed it so plan A is now fkd… Spring wheat after a second wheat probably not a great option?

How much later to harvest do you reckon than ww ? can't see any point growing barley , we're awash with it now .

 

[farmerm]

How much later to harvest do you reckon than ww ? can't see any point growing barley , we're awash with it now .

I don't recall!

 

[Sprog]

Do winter oats still grow if sown in the spring, as I’ve got some left over.
Luckily we grow quite a bit of maize, with the option to grow a bit more. Also been asked to grow some beet for AD.
People could try some fodder beet for stock feed.

Winter oats are spring oats only more winter hardy. Best planted at same rate as if planting in autumn, say 40-50kg/acre. They sit and tiller, at least Mascani does, and will be far to thick if planted at the same rate you would normally use for a typical spring oat variety that does the opposite. Probably a 10-14 days later to harvest than ‘spring’ oats.

 

[DRC]

Winter oats are spring oats only more winter hardy. Best planted at same rate as if planting in autumn, say 40-50kg/acre. They sit and tiller, at least Mascani does, and will be far to thick if planted at the same rate you would normally use for a typical spring oat variety that does the opposite. Probably a 10-14 days later to harvest than ‘spring’ oats.

Very late harvest then, so not very attractive.