Fields dried up well last week and there has been activitity applying spring P and K to cereals and oilseed rape. We have had yet more cold weather over the weekend culminating in temperatures dropping to -10C last night.

Late-sown oats have suffered from frost lift, but it is too early to say what long term damage has occured as the crops have been frozen for so long which has meant that there has been no real spring growth as yet. I have recommennded that we try to roll most oat crops as soon as conditions allow.

The winter linseed has also suffered some frost lift, but in the main the crops I have look well, there is some pidgeon grazing on the linseed, but no where near as bad as on winter oilseed rape, with regards to rape now is the time to have a major push on stopping the pigeons to allow the crop to start getting away.

Applications of carbetamide to oilseed rape crops has continued and
most should be on by the end of this week if conditions stay dry, some
late sown rape has also suffered frost lift, but not severe enough to
require re-drilling.

All wheat sown just prior to the big freeze has now emerged during
the last seven days, early sown crops now have up to eight tillers and
look very well indeed. Will not be applying any spring graminicides
untill we see higher soil and air temperatures.

We will be looking to apply small amounts of nitrogen (with sulphur)
to wheat, barley and osr at the end of this month along with drilling of
spring barley as long as conditions will allow.