Oh dear. I seem to have upset my friend Derek, who farms down in Kent.

Last month I happened to mention the reluctance of our spring seed-beds to dry out. Apparently, he now holds me totally responsible for the drought in the South East. 

Therefore, if Derek is correct, by the time you read this we should all be sloshing about in our wellies wondering when the rain will stop.

See also: Read more from our Arable Farmer Focus writers

The spring crops are all in the ground with just the forage maize to go when the threat of frosts has passed.

Anywhere that we had to move soil, such as after overwintered stewardship stubbles, is slow to emerge.

However, the vast majority that were drilled direct into soil cultivated in the autumn – and hence into moisture – are up and away.

Water needed

The winter cereals also now look like they need a drink especially on the gravel areas. Wheat that looked quite leggy going into April is nowhere near as forward as the growth stage would suggest.  

On St George’s Day, the usual T1 timing around here, rolling out the plant showed leaf three had still to emerge.

A combination of cold nights and lack of moisture has slowed growth right down. It should also probably be noted that we were about 10 days later drilling last autumn, with most of the wheat drilled in the first week of October.

Growth regulation trials continue

I have sprayed my third-year trial of variable growth regulator at T0 on the wheat, this time picking a flatter, less-variable field to see if we still get a yield increase.

For the first time, in conjunction with Soyl, we are also looking at variable growth regulation in winter barley.

When my wife Liz left the Welsh Agricultural College having completed her studies, she and her friend Jane spent a year working in New Zealand.

Now quite a few years later, Liz and I are to make a visit. So Farmer Focus January 2018 will be all about farming on the other side of the world. Flights are booked and I can’t wait to go.