What to plant now before planting maize in spring

[Matt]

Got a stubble field which had planned to muck early in new year and plough provided dry enough. But have put a light spreading of muck to clear out sheds and just tickling the top to work muck in.
I was wondering if planting some Italian ryegrass would provide enough forage to justify cost without making us late planting maize. Or any other crops. We are in Herefordshire.

 

[Bob c]

is it too late for Westerwold ryegrass do one cut,
then plough up for maize

 

[Walterp]

is it too late for Westerwold ryegrass do one cut,
then plough up for maize

Westerwolds might just get in, in this particular October?

We put some in 10 days ago and it's come up, with the weather maybe just holding fine long enough to get it in early this coming week?

 

[Great In Grass]

IRG, yields more than WW's.

Edit: Better quality too.

 

[Walterp]

IRG, yields more than WW's.

Edit: Better quality too.

Aren't they generally blends, these days?

 

[Great In Grass]

Nope.

 

[Walterp]

Nope.

Let's have a look at the invoice: a blend of 'Major' (a Westerwold) and two IRGs. I'll dig out the specs to see the mix.

 

[Great In Grass]

Let's have a look at the invoice: a blend of 'Major' (a Westerwold) and two IRGs. I'll dig out the specs to see the mix.

Oliver's Tornado, is it still 33% of each variety?

Edit again: Forgot 20kg bags, can't be a third.

 

[Walterp]

Oliver's Tornado, is it still 33% of each variety?

Edit again: Forgot 20kg bags, can't be a third.

Blimey!

Spot on.

We'll have to see how it gets on, before going into stubble turnips next Summer (under the new Glastir régime, with Spring oats bringing up the rest of the rotation).

 

[Great In Grass]

Blimey!

Spot on.

We'll have to see how it gets on, before going into stubble turnips next Summer (under the new Glastir régime, with Spring oats bringing up the rest of the rotation).

Haha, I should know, I sell a very similar mixture from their parent company.

The mixture works very well and I can't see you getting none other than an excellent result with it.

As to Oats, a little early yet but we sold Canyon spring oats this year it produced excellent yields, one to check out perhaps.

 

[Big Al]

This might be a very stupid question, but is it feasible to grow winter wheat or barley as a winter cover crop for grazing sheep on.
I.e. you rotationally graze it a few times and then go straight into maize in May.
Would the costs be prohibitively high compared to the value of the grazed crop even if you used no inputs other than the seed.

 

[Nearly]

This might be a very stupid question, but is it feasible to grow winter wheat or barley as a winter cover crop for grazing sheep on.
I.e. you rotationally graze it a few times and then go straight into maize in May.
Would the costs be prohibitively high compared to the value of the grazed crop even if you used no inputs other than the seed.

There's plenty of last years seed looking for homes

 

[alan6430]

Put in rye grass and cut it next april spread dung plough over and drill maize. Used to do it most years before I stopped growing maize