Whilst a return to average temperatures may not be so welcome amongst many, the replenishment of water to the depths of our soil certainly is.
Whilst a return to average temperatures may not be so welcome amongst many, the replenishment of water to the depths of our soil certainly is. The only damage from storm Gareth has been one of my flimsy fence panels.
Many autumn sown crops are advanced. Wheat growth regulators centring on Trinexapac and/or Prohexadione (depending on speed of activity required) have been applied weeks ago to large crops and some which were then at GS30 and even beyond (30mm from the base to ear!). The next round of my little and often PGR approach is impending with most crops still looking like the potential for high yield. With tillering not finished and sufficient fertiliser applied I’m hoping for many successes in the target of high ear number in my cereals this time.
Most of the Winter Barley is now looking healthy colour again after a flush of new growth has smothered over the dieing older tissue. However it no it all crops went too off colour it was mainly Surge. Some Fenpropimorph, Manganese and a cold, wet snap would have put the mildew firmly to bed.
Thankfully there wasn’t too many cereals drilled in the ‘summer’ just gone into heavy soils as the 95mm of rain that followed was not ideal for them. I’m not so fearful for the lighter land drillings.
Un-grazed grass leys have really pushed on following fertiliser application and look a resemblance to how they would usually in the latter part of April.
A small area of early potatoes has been planted, herbicide on and put to bed with a fleece throw on. The weather is looking set to improve substantially (depending on your rain requirements) with April forecast to be quite dry at present after the first half of the month. My prayers are on a more straight forward year for potato residual herbicides after a challenging couple on the trot. “Rain rain go away, but make sure your back for the start of May!”
