What to plant after a grass ley and how to establish it.

[cows r us]

I have an 80 acre block of heavy clay arable land that I put into a grass/clover mix four years ago. I'm just in the process of buying our first direct drill and want to bring the field back into arable rotation. Every year it has been plastered with fym and I'm hoping the worms have come back as they were absent four years ago under min till. What's the best crop to grow after a ley and when should I kill the ley off?

 

[Devon James]

Wheat or beans. I would spray the ley off just before drilling

 

[cows r us]

Wheat or beans. I would spray the ley off just before drilling

Someone has suggested a brassica to me as it wont be effected by wire worm and the such like.

 

[ollie989898]

Spray it off 6 weeks early. Wireworm would not worry me but clearfield rape behind grass works very well.

 

[tr250]

We have grown wheat after 2 year ley. Not sure about frit fly and wire worm to be honest but not had a problem yet. What drills you looking at. Has the ley been grazed or silaged.

 

[cows r us]

We have grown wheat after 2 year ley. Not sure about frit fly and wire worm to be honest but not had a problem yet. What drills you looking at. Has the ley been grazed or silaged.

Had a look at the John Deere, Horsch avatar, Mzuri and the cross slot. We are going for a cross slot if we get our grant. We have some very heavy land and the cross slot was the only one that I could see as being feasable. The grass has been silage do as its at the bottom of the valley on some heavy clay, the cows would sink fast after a heavy rain.

 

[tr250]

Had a look at the John Deere, Horsch avatar, Mzuri and the cross slot. We are going for a cross slot if we get our grant. We have some very heavy land and the cross slot was the only one that I could see as being feasable. The grass has been silage do as its at the bottom of the valley on some heavy clay, the cows would sink fast after a heavy rain.

Not sure how well a muzuri would work as it would heave big lumps of turf up others would be fine. If the grass has yielded well I think it takes a fair bit of nutrients out and leaves very little n to get wheat going in the autumn in my experience

 

[cows r us]

Not sure how well a muzuri would work as it would heave big lumps of turf up others would be fine. If the grass has yielded well I think it takes a fair bit of nutrients out and leaves very little n to get wheat going in the autumn in my experience

Yeah we tried the Mzuri on some arable ground would be a great drill but due to being heavy land and having to drill late it wasn't the one for us. There is a fair bit of clover in the mix and it has had a good dollop of fym and digestate over the years. Will probably put a p and n mix under the seed when we drill though.

 

[Devon James]

Have a look at the Italian drill from Ryetec. Performed well at Groundswell imo

 

[tr250]

Yeah we tried the Mzuri on some arable ground would be a great drill but due to being heavy land and having to drill late it wasn't the one for us. There is a fair bit of clover in the mix and it has had a good dollop of fym and digestate over the years. Will probably put a p and n mix under the seed when we drill though.

Yes I think placed fert will help a lot, we haven't got that option yet

 

[tr250]

Have a look at the Italian drill from Ryetec. Performed well at Groundswell imo

I like the look of that drill too

 

[Kevtherev]

Spray off the old grass ley and leave as long as possible before drilling cereals.
Secondhand Moore unidrill as an entry level option???