August 2023 Newsletter
Agronomy
As we enter the final throws of harvest, with only a few later drilled crops to finish up it feels like the long battle is nearly over. Somewhat a contrast from the last few years. It would appear a dry June wet July combination, has not been fortuitous for the yield compared with last year. Although milling and malting quality seem to be holding up well with significant premiums available. Perhaps a wetter June and drier July should be organised for next year to maximise the yield potential crops were showing in May!
Having said that, maize and grass has been lapping up this moisture and putting on the bulk and quality we are all looking for going into the winter. Timely harvesting of maize should be prioritised to ensure a success establishment of the following crop, as compromising this can only reduce the maize’s viability in the rotation. With newer early maturing varieties with mid October yields, this can be achievable. Get in touch to find out more for next year’s cropping.
Early indications from cover crops and forage crops indicate there will be considerable slug pressure this autumn, with the July/August moisture being very suitable for breeding. As indicated in the previous monthly newsletter, trapping is vital to understand your pressure as new emerging seedling only take one nip to be destroyed. With brassica crops being most susceptible a careful eye will be needed to ensure we get sufficient establishment.
With glyphosate now back at very cost-effective levels, it’s important to maximise stale seedbeds prior to autumn drilling. Keeping a lid on the grass weed pressure which has built during the wet spring and summer. With this in mind, careful consideration to grass weed cultural and chemical controls should be at the front of our minds as we go into the autumn, with the different grass species requiring different cultivations and active ingredient stacks. Focusing on prevention than cure in grass weed control.
-Richard Harris, Agronomist
For further details on any of the above please contact your usual Bartholomew’s representative.
Seed
Seed production at Bartholomews is well underway despite the difficult harvest conditions.
The geographical spread of growers we strive for has proven a good strategy as we have started on time and are now well up to date on our Barley and Oat orders and have made a good start on Wheats.
Initial test results are all looking good, and we have a growing confidence that here in the south our seed crops have withstood the conditions well.
Sales have been strong, and we are now starting to see availability of some key varieties coming under pressure.
New Winter Barley Caravele is now sold out, but we have good stocks of Tardis and Bordeaux instead. Oat sales have remained strong despite the graminicide challenges that may await growers next year, new variety Cromwell is now nearly all gone and stocks of Mascani are now getting low so growers with Oat requirements are advised to secure their seed with some urgency.
Wheats are also selling well with the attractive premiums in Group 1 leading to a particularly strong demand for Crusoe which despite being an old variety continues to deliver and stocks are starting to get low.
Other Group1s are available with Illustrious looking particularly useful for its reliability.
Group 2 continues to be dominated by Extase but new variety Palladium is proving popular and is getting close to selling out.
The qualities of Illuminate are delivering results in Group 3 and we eagerly await the harvest results of the new varieties coming through for next year.
There is a good selection of big yielding Group4s to choose from this year with Insitor, Dawsum and Champion leading the charge and the qualities of Gleam and Graham continuing to prove popular.
We are still offering discounts for Early Ordering and delivery, but these discounts will not remain in place all season so please get in touch now to order your seed.
We have good availability of grass seed, ready for those autumn reseeds or over seeds. New for this year we have a range of herbal leys, for both cutting and grazing. We also have an SFI booklet out, with information on key small seed mixes, and the mixes we can offer.
-Christian Maltby, Seed Manager
Please contact the Seed department on: 01243 755620 seed@bartholomews.co.uk
Crop Protection
Glyphosate
With the recent rains through July and August, stubbles have ‘greened up’ very quickly. Ideal conditions for the start of a grassweed control strategy. This has created more short term demand than production capacity which is firming pricing within the market place. Order early to avoid any delivery delays.
Slug pellets
We have seen strong demand for slug pellets, where slugs are creating issues with early drilled OSR. Make sure you ‘trap’ before making an application but slugs seem to be a bigger issue than Cabbage Stem Flea beetle at the moment.
Pendimethalin (PDM)
PDM based products (eg Crystal, Picona, Anthem, Eximus, Tower) look to be in tight supply again this autumn due to production constraints in the U.S. Plan product early to secure your preferred product.
-Graham Phillippo, Crop Protection Manager
Please contact the Crop Protection department on: 01243755610 or cropprotection@bartholomews.co.uk