Content originally published in the Farmers Guardian
Maize drilling began in earnest in the last week of April and is now all but complete. Although a later-than-ideal start, waiting for reasonable conditions has paid off. We have some big contractors up here with several drills apiece, so they can soon forge ahead.
Plants are emerging nicely and maize crops look well set up – it all depends now on what the rest of the season holds, but at least for now there is no cold weather in the forecast.
Quite a lot of silage was taken in the second week of May where growers had been able to get fertiliser and slurry onto fields early enough. Others that planned to cut early have been delayed, especially on heavy ground, while traditional three-cut growers were planning to start last weekend, similar to their usual timing, once a spell of showers passed through.
Winter barley is now coming out in ear but it won’t break any records. There are a few good crops around, but not many; a cold wet April took its toll along with delays with nitrogen and potash dressings, causing tiller loss.
Winter wheat is all over the place regarding growth stages, depending on drilling date and/or soil type. Some crops were ready for a flag leaf spray last week, whereas others had only just put out leaf 3.
All in all, we’ve not fared too badly in the north west, considering at the time of my last report we’d hardy had a week without rain since last June. Nature does tend to compensate, and we have longer daylength on our side this far north to help chase later-drilled spring crops on.
Simon Nelson advises farmers on a wide range of arable and forage crops across Cumbria, north Lancashire and into south west Scotland.
