Content originally published in the Farmers Guardian
What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago I was reporting a deluge that put everything back a fortnight, adding to delays caused by the wet start to the year.
That held up much-needed nitrogen applications on some winter cereal crops and frustrated spring barley growers itching to make a start with drilling, a situation that persisted for the following few weeks.
This February I measured only 12mm of rain, and it has remained dry since. As I write this in mid March, FYM and slurry applications have been continuing full steam ahead and many people will be nearly finished – quite a few are now starting to plough.
Drills have been out on lighter land over the past fortnight. It is an ideal opportunity to get spring barley sown into good conditions so it can establish quickly, which will give plants an advantage if soils continue to dry out.
More traditional farmers who usually drill in April will think that March is too soon, but if you have got your muck on and you are on lightish, free-draining ground that can put up with some rain if it does arrive, why would you wait?
Maize will be next on the list to be drilled, so it is worth checking fields for lime status. We are starting to get quite a few calls.
Everyone should have applied the first nitrogen dressing on winter cereals by the time this goes to press; the final application needs to be on by 20 April, either as straight nitrogen or protected urea. Unprotected urea has to be on by the end of March.
As far as grass is concerned, it’s pretty much a normal spring. Quite a lot of organic manure has gone on which will help ensure it is used up before silaging, and nitrogen is also being applied where needed. A lot of people have urea in the shed, and the current cool conditions are ideal for this.
The government’s sudden decision to halt new applications under SFI 2024 will leave farmers yet to sign up feeling let down and facing real uncertainties.
We can only hope that the government sticks to its plan to provide more details of a reformed SFI offer later this year. With no idea of budget or scope it will be impossible to plan until we know more.
Simon Nelson advises farmers on a wide range of arable and forage crops across Cumbria, north Lancashire and into south-west Scotland.
