Archive Article: 2001/06/01
Andrew Keeler
Andrew Keeler farms with
his parents at Church Farm,
Aylsham, Norfolk. Sugar
beet, potatoes, winter
wheat and premium malting
barley are grown on the
32ha (80-acre) farm
POTATO planting started on May 2 and finished on the Mayday bank holiday five days later. That will seem a long time to some, given that we only have 5ha (12 acres) to set, but we have only one tractor for the preparation work. I did enquire about hiring another but the only machine available in the power range required had to be booked for a minimum of 16 weeks. Chitted, farm-saved Desiree seed went in at 38cm (15in) spacing on 75cm (30in) rows and was through by May 21. A Sencorex (metribuzin), linuron and paraquat herbicide mix has been applied.
Sugar beet had their second post-emergence herbicide early this week – a repeat dose of metamitron plus phenmedipham plus a sticker/wetter. We have had to start with gentle mixes as the beet size is very variable, ranging from just emerged to 4 true leaves, but the first dose did a great job. We gave some serious thought to re-drilling an area struggling to break through capped soil but forecast rain duly arrived and we now have enough to call a crop.
Claire wheat has had its final dose of nitrogen and also an Ensign/ Eclipse (kresoxim-methyl + fenpropimorph/fenpropimorph + epoxiconazole) fungicide mix. That went on at about GS33, with some more chlormequat growth regulator. Despite six weeks difference between drilling dates it is all at similar growth stages now and disease-free so no more fungicide should be needed until full ear emergence.
The Maris Otter barley is in ear and has been showing signs of sulphur deficiency, a problem that we have not had before. To correct that we will mix in a sulphur liquid formulation with the final fungicide, which will probably be straight flusilazole. The sulphur correction will cost us in the region of £6/ha (£2.50/acre) – an expense we could well do without this season. When the nitrogen is ordered for next year I must remember to include some with sulphur in it for the first top-dressing. *
Wheat has had a GS33 spray and should go to ear emergence now, says Norfolk grower, Andrew Keeler.