Wheat after long term ley

[wellingtonfarmer]

All my osr after grass was poor even into an ace seedbed.

Well that f**ks that Idea then

 

[teslacoils]

Yeah I thought I was being all clever but it was terrible. I'm going winter beans after grass, but only three years of being grass.

 

[Flat 10]

Why? Was it definitely the decaying sward causing problems?

 

[teslacoils]

No idea. Took the grass off for haylage, banged on three years fibrophos, ploughed it in good order, worked it fine and left it to settle. Drilled late August and rolled lovely. Pelleted, pre-em sat back and lit my pipe, slippers on. And it was just a bit bobbins. Plants spindly. And shocking levels of broad leaved weeds. No grass weeds at all.

 

[Flat 10]

No idea. Took the grass off for haylage, banged on three years fibrophos, ploughed it in good order, worked it fine and left it to settle. Drilled late August and rolled lovely. Pelleted, pre-em sat back and lit my pipe, slippers on. And it was just a bit bobbins. Plants spindly. And shocking levels of broad leaved weeds. No grass weeds at all.

interesting. People grow good crops of stubble turnips/forage rape after grass from what I see and hear.

 

[teslacoils]

Probably just the gods telling me to f**k off and buy a 750a

 

[Flat 10]

Gods here are suggesting not to bother with break crops

 

[teslacoils]

Gods here suggesting not to bother with s combine.....

 

[ollie989898]

That is weird as I know two people who plant OSR after 2-3 year grass leys. IIRC they use clearfield varieties and grow grass properly so the broad leaved weed burden is lower to begin with. Into PP I would be far more reluctant as you could unearth anything.

 

[adam_farming]

Just reviving this thread a bit:

Field situation:
Medium-heavy Suffolk clay.

Previously arable
4yrs rented out, planted with perennial ryegrass cut for hay/haylage
Autumn/winter 2021: grazed down tight with sheep
February 2022: glyphosate
End March 2022: pulled up with pigtail cultivator, worked down with disc/roll, drilled spring beans.

Poor crop of beans resulted from a cloddy seedbed and lack of rain, decided to keep them going for the seed for next year's crop. Lots of thistles.

Now to plant wheat this autumn after the beans come off. Same cultivation: tines and discs and rolls as required. Variety Extase, can go fairly heavy with seed rate if needed as it's FSS. Will use Vibrance Duo and Startup Maxx to get things going early and build a strong plant.

Has the wireworm risk decreased enough to not bother with Signal? Has been 7 months without living grass, very few grass weeds in the beans which were dealt with, and Signal label only claims "reduction" anyway. Would be nice to avoid the insecticide if possible, and the cost

 

[Flat 10]

I had bad wireworm in second wheat after long term pasture so not sure. Others will know more specifically.
Not sure that vibrance duo or start up maxx will help anything much imo, better if you can get it well rolled in to help with wireworm and roll again in the spring.

 

[adam_farming]

I had bad wireworm in second wheat after long term pasture so not sure. Others will know more specifically.
Not sure that vibrance duo or start up maxx will help anything much imo, better if you can get it well rolled in to help with wireworm and roll again in the spring.

Will defintely be making a good seedbed. The Vibrance and Startup aren't beacuse of the wireworm completely, most just to get the crop going as a whole

 

[Flat 10]

Will defintely be making a good seedbed. The Vibrance and Startup aren't beacuse of the wireworm completely, most just to get the crop going as a whole

It’s your money and decision but I’m not sure that the vibrance or start up will make any difference to the vigour. I’m happy to be proved wrong

 

[ollie989898]

Just reviving this thread a bit:

Field situation:
Medium-heavy Suffolk clay.

Previously arable
4yrs rented out, planted with perennial ryegrass cut for hay/haylage
Autumn/winter 2021: grazed down tight with sheep
February 2022: glyphosate
End March 2022: pulled up with pigtail cultivator, worked down with disc/roll, drilled spring beans.

Poor crop of beans resulted from a cloddy seedbed and lack of rain, decided to keep them going for the seed for next year's crop. Lots of thistles.

Now to plant wheat this autumn after the beans come off. Same cultivation: tines and discs and rolls as required. Variety Extase, can go fairly heavy with seed rate if needed as it's FSS. Will use Vibrance Duo and Startup Maxx to get things going early and build a strong plant.

Has the wireworm risk decreased enough to not bother with Signal? Has been 7 months without living grass, very few grass weeds in the beans which were dealt with, and Signal label only claims "reduction" anyway. Would be nice to avoid the insecticide if possible, and the cost

Sow the wheat in late September when the soil is still warm. Roll it to get good seed bed contact. Aim for the right number of seeds (325?) and go for it. If the land is fertile hopefully the wheat plants will be tillered out and away before the wireworm wake up.

 

[EJS]

Would wireworm be a big problem after just 4 yr ley? My experience is grassweed burden pretty high but no wireworm. DD wheat in with 750 late sept after glyphosate

 

[Breakthru]

You have to go to the grey area of crop tonics. The Garlic mix I sell will save you from Leather jackets, wireworm and slugs. Approx £25/ha plus water conditioner to be safe especially this year when reservoir levels are very low and water harder than usual. Quite a lot of grassland farmers on the forum have used it but very few post. Look under Leatherjacket thread.