We finished T1 sprays just two weeks ago at Chillington, but are already getting going on T2s. Poor old John wanted to go on holiday, let's hope that the wheel doesn't fall off the sprayer again this week or he might have to postpone!
With septoria being the main risk, especially with the weather threatening to break at the end of the week we are applying 0.2 litres Opus (epoxiconazole), 0.8 litres Firefly (prothioconazole + fluoxastrobin) and 3 litres magnesium to Claire, Humber and Alchemy wheats. We finished the Humber and some of the Claire today (12 May). The rest is planned to happen before Thursday (when John goes on holiday).
I am not bothering with the Opus in the Soissons as it is as clean as the proverbial whistle. We're planning to do the Oakley next week, when I will have to fathom how to use the sprayer again. I have been amazed by how forward the Humber has been and I expect to see it out in ear next week
Barley is all out in ear (that reminds me, better get the combine serviced!) and receiving 0.4 litre/ha of Fandango (prothioconazole + fluoxastrobin) and 2 litres of magnesium in the cool of the evening, the last thing that I want to do is scorch it at this late stage!
Beans are really on the move now, trying to make up for lost time now and receiving some attention in the way of 0.5 litres Amistar (azoxystrobin) and 0.5 litres Bravo (chlorothalonil) and a small amount of insecticide for those dammed beetles. First time that I have gone to the expense of a strob, let's hope that it rains in June to justify it!
OSR just past mid flowering and not too many complaints form the local hay fever suffers yet, although I have had to find an alternative field for an old wheezy pony to get it out from the middle of a 200 acre block of pollen.
Let's hope that those prices pick up again, as I don't really want to have to close my futures option at less than the price that I struck it at and miss out on what has been a £45/tonne upside!! Good job that I broke into half and keyed into £164/tonne for January 2009.