Maize under plastic. Trial at Sticker, St Austell.

Trial used 2 varieties under plastic to see firstly if they would come through the plastic and to see secondly how they grew compared to the stock variety Justina

Nescio im the first 2 rows near the hedge, then Justina in next 2, followed by Nescio in next 2 and so on up the field till the drill ran out of seed, the switched to LG3193. The bag in the 2nd photo is the start of the LG3193. Photo's taken 3rd and 19th June, crop drilled 14th May.

Oops!

Organic Spring Barley...£250 worth on a road near Launceston.....

Lime and Spring Barley.....or lack of it!

Got a call to go and have a look at some Spring barley that was looking rather sick near Bodmin. The first field had come out of grass and had had no lime before being drilled as it was assumed that the seasand that had been applied in the past(4-5 years previously) would still be active. The second field had been limed the season before at 2 ton/ac with maglime, which had been ploughed over and down for this crop. pH tests revealed figures of 5.1 and 5.5 respectively, not good! The pictures below reveal the stress on the stems (purpling) and leaves, sparse plant populations and evidence of herbicide breakdown. At this stage it's almost too late to save, granular lime at 300kgs/ac might have saved it, however the farmer ploughed it in. Very expensive loss.

Beethoven Maize at Cann Orchard, Bude.

Picture taken 28th May, this was planted on the 25th April during the warm dry weather spell at the end of April. This could have been drilled earlier, however the fear of frost kept the drill out of the field.

The field was dunged with solid FYM, ploughed over and then had 2t/ac of layers muck broadcast over it, before being worked with a powerharrow pre drilling. Drilled at 45,000 seeds/ac, with 50kg/ac DAP down the spout too. The seed was also treated with Poncho as well as the standard Mesurol to counter wireworm and cutworm potential threats.

Picture taken 15th June and the crop is starting to motor!

Picture below taken 26th June and the growth deveopment is rapid, just what is wanted.

Knee high by the 4th of July...? Picture below taken 3rd July!

July 14th and the crop is already overhead!!