Wheat after long term ley

I’m planning to plant some wheat after long term grass ley- I don’t need the grass anymore as it’s just been cut for silage. Are there any covers crops that could be planted now that will reduce pest pressure in the following wheat crop?
 

DRC

Member
Your grass will be as good as anything, I’d have thought . Plenty early enough to make something off it, hay or silage to sell.
 

Hampton

Member
BASIS
Location
Shropshire
I tend to get an early cut and then put maize in followed by wheat, but this later it’s a bit more tricky so you are just looking at a green manure.
Alternatively, like @silverfox said, often it isn’t a problem anyway
 
Wire worm and leather jackets are the big risk
Take more than a year to reduce I had one part of a field after long term set aside get mullered in the 3 rd year got a field this year wheat has been redrilled with spring barley
Dig a few hole and look not a lot you can do
Cultivate up and let the crows at them
Spray off and direct drill
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Do you reckon you'll have enough time to plant, grow and graze a brassica before wheat does in? That is what I would do and am doing.

This. Any graziers local to you with a demand for summer fodder @wellingtonfarmer ?

It won’t do a great deal for wire worm but it will certainly help with frit fly and hygiene to remove grass seeds from the following crop.
 

Cowcorn

Member
Mixed Farmer
Ploughing out ley ground for wheat was common in the seventies and eighties dont remember many problems if it was drilled early and well rolled to tighten the seedbed . A bit of N to help it out will help .
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
In the old days while it was available, Dursban with the glyphosate sorted most soil pest problems out. I don’t remember many corvids on the furrows afterwards :oops:

Before Roundup’s patent expired I used to disc ley stubbles repeatedly. The birds liked that more than a sprayed stubble.
 

tw15

Member
Location
DORSET
Have for 2 years now just sprayed off grass leys that have been in for ages 10 years plus and just dd wheat in . It seems to me that by leaving the grass roots any wireworm or leatherjackets might just feed on them . One field is now this year into second wheat and no real signs of damage still the other 60 acres looking ok apart from 10 acres where the couch grass didn't get all killed off as it was mown before it was sprayed of and with the dry summer it didn't put on a lot of leaf to hit with roundup. All in all very pleased with the results .
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Have for 2 years now just sprayed off grass leys that have been in for ages 10 years plus and just dd wheat in . It seems to me that by leaving the grass roots any wireworm or leatherjackets might just feed on them . One field is now this year into second wheat and no real signs of damage still the other 60 acres looking ok apart from 10 acres where the couch grass didn't get all killed off as it was mown before it was sprayed of and with the dry summer it didn't put on a lot of leaf to hit with roundup. All in all very pleased with the results .

Hmm. So what happened to that thin field of spring wheat by the main road you did for a customer? Some big gaps in it that look a lot like pest damage....
 
Remove grass species for a period of at least 6 weeks prior to planting the wheat, that should remove any likely issues with fritfly.
If after inspecting you find wireworm either signal seed dressing or cross your fingers and hope it’s ok.
In the second year grow spuds and treat with nemathorin.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 78 42.9%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 63 34.6%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.5%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 5 2.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,286
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top