What a contrast we have from 12 months ago. But I’m quite happy with it, as the past six weeks have been very productive and good for the soul.

It feels like we are all up to date with crop jobs on the farm, which was certainly not the case this time last year.

Daytime conditions have been glorious, but with some very low digits at night, nothing is whooshing away by any stretch.

See also: April showers could change wheat disease outlook

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Richard Harris

Richard Harris manages his family farm in partnership with his father in south Devon. The farm grows wheat, barley, linseed, grass and cover crops, with a small pick-your-own pumpkin patch.

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All crops around the area are looking a good colour, grass included, but it’s not got any biomass to it yet. Warm April showers are certainly required.

The wheats have received 70% of their total nitrogen, consisting of 175kg/ha of our DS+ fertiliser (24N + 14S) and 50g/ha of a biological bacteria product, which will hopefully contribute about 30kg/ha of nitrogen.

They are currently looking well, with very little active septoria, eyespot or mildew pressure and no rust to speak of. So I think we’re on top of the diseases for now.

I look a couple tissue tests last week which showed up some sulphur, magnesium and boron deficiency.

I wasn’t surprised by the magnesium and boron, which will be addressed at the next spray timing, likely the T1.

But I was surprised by the sulphur, as the crops have received 70kg/ha so far.

After only about 6mm of rain in the past six weeks, it’s not exactly surprising it’s not all been flushed around the roots, but I would have expected enough to have filtered down.

I’ll be taking some more samples in the coming weeks to see if this changes.  

The sheep have left for the season, so we are now focusing on getting the linseed drilled, into what is quite a baked surface.

There is moisture underneath, but this cap will take some breaking to access it, and we’ll certainly be needing some rain to wash it in afterwards.

With the linseed’s top performance last year, we are hopeful of another good go at it. But a lot will hinge on getting some rain in the coming weeks. So we keep our fingers crossed.