Most of the cereal harvest is now complete, though there is still wheat to be cut on higher ground. Beans and linseed are yet to be combined in most areas.
The first priority after harvest is to produce false seed-beds to encourage weed germination. This is a very important first step in the fight against grassweeds, particularly blackgrass and sterile brome.
Blackgrass seeds should have low dormancy following warm, dry weather in early summer. So it should grow rapidly in moist, fine tilths and can then be killed with glyphosate.
If the dominant problem is with meadow, soft or rye brome, the seeds from these should be left on the surface for a month to ripen fully before cultivation starts.
The past two years' wet weather has given little opportunity for effective subsoiling, and many fields would benefit from loosening. It is essential that the subsoil is dry enough to crack when lifted; if it is too wet it will merely smear. Soil conditions are better this year and the opportunity should not be missed.
Oilseed rape drilling has started and decisions need to be made about weed control. Do you spray pre-emergence or do you wait to see if a crop has established first?
Pre-em will give the best broadleaf weed control, but after last year many farmers will wait until early post-emergence to spray. If blackgrass is the main target probably the best approach is a low dose pre- or early post-emergence treatment for broadleaved weeds, followed by propyzamide in October.
Rape emergence will signal the start of the annual battle against slugs. Please only apply slug pellets if necessary and take immense care, keeping them well clear of watercourses and drains
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