Shropshire Farming Talk: Looking at the arable job list
As spring arrives, the arable job list looks to be lengthening.
Those of you who drilled everything well done, now need to look after what you have!
As soon as weather allows cereals will require Phosphate and Potash.
This will help with rooting and tillering.
The second job is grass weed control, getting residual control has been challenging, the wet weather has also not helped dilution.
I would propose is an early application of graminicide mixed with a residual herbicide.
The perfect storm now for crops is a dry time late April or early May, where a crop with a poorer rooting system will find itself quickly strangled.
A bio stimulant aimed at root development will be recommended in many places, this could be money very well spent if we see a dry time.
The final consideration early spring could be to split the first dose of Nitrogen.
If we see plants with poorly developed root masses, with a high dose of Nitrogen, this may lead to a lot of leaching as plants struggle to take up all Nitrogen up within the soil profile.
So, by splitting the dose, we enhance the biomass above and below soil, return with the second dose two weeks later.
The enhanced rooting structure with a healthier plant leads to a much greater Nitrogen Use Efficiency.
by Owain Roberts, Agronomist and Grain Trader, GO Davies
