Cover Crops 3.0

If i can get the beet out next week in good conditions is there anything cheap worth planting for sheep grazing
 
How are all those crops working out
There was westerwolds and hybrid grass down around here too
See bit started to be mowed

Magic comes from feeding soil biology, 3 month spring barley crop leaves a field idle for 3/4 of year
Most spring barley ground around here that is to be left for spring cropping again is green from all the volunteers and secondary growth. That particular field above is in a rotation but never had a cover crop yet, it’s for maize next year.
In general those ryegrass crops and westerwolds are ok, majority were only cut for the first time in the last 2 weeks as they did not get planted until early to mid August when the aid scheme was announced, mine went in before the aid scheme on the 25th of July. Some locally struggled for rain and some did not put out enough fertiliser and or slurry either.
 
Most spring barley ground around here that is to be left for spring cropping again is green from all the volunteers and secondary growth. That particular field above is in a rotation but never had a cover crop yet, it’s for maize next year.
In general those ryegrass crops and westerwolds are ok, majority were only cut for the first time in the last 2 weeks as they did not get planted until early to mid August when the aid scheme was announced, mine went in before the aid scheme on the 25th of July. Some locally struggled for rain and some did not put out enough fertiliser and or slurry either.
I think if you go to bother of sowing fodder crops and don’t fertilise them you’ve wasted opportunity
Small acres fertilised properly can give savage yield
You can only see tops of bales in a crop of redstart or kale locally
 
I think if you go to bother of sowing fodder crops and don’t fertilise them you’ve wasted opportunity
Small acres fertilised properly can give savage yield
You can only see tops of bales in a crop of redstart or kale locally
Anything to be said for say a bag of 13-6-20 etc for cover crops in general to get them going? Non grazing or cutting crops I refer to
 
Anyone baled forage rape, I sowed 16 acres with the intention of zerograzing it but I’m thinking of cutting it and baling it over the weekend now rather than risk damage to the ground if the weather breaks.
 
Anything to be said for say a bag of 13-6-20 etc for cover crops in general to get them going? Non grazing or cutting crops I refer to
Unless you get growth it’s unlikely crop would take it up, and have it for next crop. Very hard to gauge return of nutrients from a cover crop as they only return once ground has warmed up suitably and that is usually after all top dressing has taken place
 
when you look at fertilised covers, by look i mean dig down. those that have been fertilised tend to have good canopy and poor roots. where as the none ferted seem to put more into roots
 
when you look at fertilised covers, by look i mean dig down. those that have been fertilised tend to have good canopy and poor roots. where as the none ferted seem to put more into roots

My thoughts too - the hungry crop (within reason) goes looking for nutrients - probably maximising roots through the soil and also maximising leftover nutrient capture....?
 
You have to remember after NPK cover crops are also soaking up Ca and Mg and TE often from depth, with the cracking in ground this year I’m sure cover crop roots have descended to depth, drawing these nutrients to surface which will be left for next crop in a plant available form
 
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