Winter barley v spring barley

balerman

Member
Location
N Devon
I think i would put a cheap crop of turnips in first maybe if you are predominantly livestock and try and get on top of leather jackets and frit fly before you go for a more expensive crop of cereals
That’s what I would do,leatherjacket and wire worm control is difficult these days and could be devastating after 30 years.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
The fields I was thinking are on a good slope , not heavy clay and generally dry out quick after wet. What would generally be the procedure in terms of fert and sprays for winter stuff? Should I roundup the grass before ploughing ? Fert on before drilling? Pre em spray?

First job is to get it soil tested, Barley REALLY doesn’t like acid soil.
if acidic then it will need sorting out in good time, obviously.

I always do a peri-emergence spray now, with insecticide included for BYDV aphids, then shut the gate until the Spring. Getting first N on as early as you can possibly travel seems to be key, even if it means taking advantage of a frost in Feb. I was going to get a contractor with flotations to come in early with liquid N this year, but their boom was in the workshop at the time, so it had to wait a week or two.
 

welger

Member
Location
derbyshire
I’ve 30 acres been in permanent grass for years needing freshened up. Given feed price and straw prices I’m thinking I should put some barley in and produce something of my own. My thoughts on winter v spring is I will have crop off far earlier than spring stuff to get a reseed put in plus my contractor does lot more soring than winter so easier to get him in. Give me pros and cons
We grow about 60 acres of barley normally wb then get grass in after just before we combine the winter wheat last year and this year grown sb and been very pleased how it’s done but then it clashes with other jobs.don’t know which way to go.????
 

valtraman

Member
So does it need fert at drilling or just sow it and leave it until spring . We grew a field of winter barley years ago but can’t remember now what it all got .I would be wanting straw for bedding , I do a bit of baking for other people and always find spring sown stuff a lot less field
 

Wombat

Member
BASIS
Location
East yorks
So does it need fert at drilling or just sow it and leave it until spring . We grew a field of winter barley years ago but can’t remember now what it all got .I would be wanting straw for bedding , I do a bit of baking for other people and always find spring sown stuff a lot less field

If you are in an nvz then autumn N will be a bit of a problem so it will be spring only
 

Hesstondriver

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Huntingdon
A bit pessimistic view here , but based on experience esp after long term grass :
If you drill WB and it fails you can have a second crack at SB

if your SB fails ,you’ve got nowhere to go for plan b

otherwise I’d say SB all the time
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
So does it need fert at drilling or just sow it and leave it until spring . We grew a field of winter barley years ago but can’t remember now what it all got .I would be wanting straw for bedding , I do a bit of baking for other people and always find spring sown stuff a lot less field

P&K can go on in the Autumn, but very little N (none in NVZ unless planted silly early).
Are you putting any muck on? If so, that would provide more than enough for the Autumn.

N needs to be on/available early in the Spring, with remainder on by late March/early April really.
 
The fields I was thinking are on a good slope , not heavy clay and generally dry out quick after wet. What would generally be the procedure in terms of fert and sprays for winter stuff? Should I roundup the grass before ploughing ? Fert on before drilling? Pre em spray?

Spray off grass well ahead of time so that any nasties (i.e couch) that are there are nailed and killed properly. Soil test and apply manure and any bagged stuff to make up for any issues. Plough the ground in good time when conditions suit. Ideally you would leave it a few weeks to deter the frit fly but may not be possible. Make a good seed bed and drill in best conditions you can.

I would apply a pre-em but you can also do this at early emergence with a BYDV spray which will probably want doing at 2 true leaves. There are few other grass weed control options for barley other than pre-em or peri emergence autumn applications. Seek advice before buying products mind as some are harsh on barley particularly if it is emerged.

Wireworm will be unlikely to muller a barley crop, you can up your seed rate slightly to ensure good coverage. What will help is a nice mild spell after emergence and good soil fertility so that the crop tillers nicely into winter.

In the spring you can look at the crop, you will probably want to apply a dose of N to get the crop moving. You can do a herbicide/fungicide and PGR pass in March-April according to conditions and what happens in season. The nitrogen program will be the source of some arguments on here but I've seen people delay the remainder until the ear is fully out so as not to encourage too much stem.
 

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
Could you DD stubble turnips or something on to it now, winter stock on it to save straw then drill spring barley?
Wouldn't matter if stock made a bit of a mess then and it would have a 12 month break from grass.
 

valtraman

Member
If you are in an nvz then autumn N will be a bit of a problem so it will be spring only
Could you DD stubble turnips or something on to it now, winter stock on it to save straw then drill spring barley?
Wouldn't matter if stock made a bit of a mess then and it would have a 12 month break from grass.
don’t think I would do that , the fields sit directly behind a village and could only imagine the hassles if came a wet winter and stock were seen to be guttering about not that there wet fields but u know what I mean
 

Cowcorn

Member
Mixed Farmer
The main advantage winter barley had over spring barley used to be that it got the harvest started early and avoided a bottleneck with spring barley competing with winter wheat for the combines attention .
It gave a bit more straw granted but in money terms a good crop of spring barley especially if it made malting would come out on top .
Things have changed a bit now though winter barley has become very high yielding when grown on suitable sites . It needs great attention to detail and early and prompt applications of N and fungicide to achieve its potential .
A bit of a proffesionals crop really .
Spring barley on the other hand if it gets a good start can produce high yields of both grain and straw from modest enough inputs .
Whether winter or spring it would be a good idea to get the ground sprayed and ploughed early . Get the lime out and tilled in and drill winter in early Oct ,
Drilling earlier risks bad bydv and a crop that is to proud going into winter
Best of luck which ever option you take .
 

Dan Oldershaw-Glenn

Member
Arable Farmer
Leatherjackets can be a big problem in spring barley after old grass. We find they can have less effect if you delay drilling a little bit till the ground is nice and warm so the barley is up and away from them quickly, but it's weather dependent. A late cold spring (like this year) and our SB after old grass isn't looking well at all.
Have always fancied trying some winter barley after grass as I imagine it would be well rooted by the time the worms are hatched, but I could be wrong?
Maybe worth trying a hybrid six row winter barley
 
The fields I was thinking are on a good slope , not heavy clay and generally dry out quick after wet. What would generally be the procedure in terms of fert and sprays for winter stuff? Should I roundup the grass before ploughing ? Fert on before drilling? Pre em spray?
get a spade and go and dig a few turfs up looking for wire worm
if there are a lot then cultivate early and give the rooks a chance to

i last 3 crops in 2 years on a field cultivated out of long term grass
leather jackets can do the first crop in as well
 

valtraman

Member
So what’s a 15 acre field that’s in grass now going to cost from ploughing to harvest presuming it will get dung on before ploughing , needs lime. Winter barley. Everything contractor apart from putting on muck and baling straw.
 

valtraman

Member
That is a big difference, care to elaborate the costs a bit. I wouldn’t be fussed taking into account fuel at this stage but u it is a cost all the same
 

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