Winter barley crops are turning fast and grain fill looks good. Most are still standing well, but there are some (mostly hydrids on very fertile fields) which could easily go flat if we have some heavy rain before harvest. My father has always said that when you think the barley is fit to combine, go on holiday for a week then it will be. We used to laugh at him every year when he said it, but there is a lot of truth there. Risk of skinning grain is greatly reduced, it thrashes easier and the straw doesn’t need leaving as long before being baled if you let mother nature finish the crop off. Don’t get too keen to make a start.

Oilseed rape is also turning fast with many looking like they will be ready for desiccation during the first week of July rather than the second, some may be ready before June finishes. The last part of the crops’ life cycle is laying down the oil, so it is important that desiccation is timed well, it’s one of those rare occasions when being a few days late can work out better than getting in too early. Most glyphosate products have a harvest interval of 14 days and it needs at least that (preferably 21 days) to work, so get too keen to start combining. If a good pod sealant (e.g. Companion Gold) has been used crops can survive wind and rain etc. fairly well.

Winter wheat has finished flowering and is well into grain fill. The sun is forecast to shine, temperatures aren’t too high and there is moisture in the soil, so things are looking good for yield potential. As others have said, grassweed control is variable in places, but in the west we are looking cleaner than some areas of the country. Septoria control seems to be best on crops where timings were good and T0 sprays included a septoria active triazole. Drilling date also did its part with later drilled crops having less septoria (and often less grassweeds) than earlier drilled ones.

Forage and grain maize are the crops with the largest variations. Some are close to knee high while others are at 4-6 leaf stage.  Most weed control has now been done with only the latest drilled crops left to do. Because we had rain this spring pre-emergence herbicides have worked very well, which has taken the pressure off post-emergence applications. Thoughts will soon be turning to eyespot control/prevention. Rather than relying on products with EAMU’s, we now have a fungicide with maize on the label, Quilt Xcel (azoxystrobin + propiconazole).  I’ll be trying this year to compare it against Comet (pyraclostrobin), but the biggest driver will be what the weather throws at us in August and September. Here’s hoping for warmth, sun and a sensible amount of rain!