Richard Barnes of Kings Game Cover and Conservation Crops considers what can be done to combat the weather related challenges many game managers are facing and offers some practical pointers to ensure your covers are a success this summer.
Potential Problems
The current weather pattern is presenting a mixed bag for those trying to establish game cover crops. Whilst some regions are receiving regular rainfall others continue to miss it resulting in very challenging conditions for many in terms of game cover establishment.
The following points are worth considering although the most important factor where crops are struggling is to take good advice. The Kings technical team are available to help and guide game managers in the right direction and can help you make the most of your game cover opportunities – please contact us on 0800 587 9797 or see www.kingscrops.co.uk for further details.
Where ground is yet to be planted ensure that moisture is retained wherever possible – over working ground to get a seedbed can inadvertently lose moisture. Rolling after drilling will be essential to give planted crops the best start.
Pests will be a problem no matter what the conditions. Dry weather is ideal for flea beetle, so ensure your brassica seed has a robust seed treatment and keep checking for the usual shot hole marks on the leaves and then treat as required. Emerging crops are also very attractive to a range of grazers which include hares, rabbits, game birds and farm livestock – keep an eye on crops and deal with problems promptly.
Where the rain has come we have seen a huge increase in slug numbers as they have lain dormant for many weeks waiting for moisture. With several generations attacking you will see damage, so be prepared to deal with the problem with an application of slug pellets as required. This problem will be exacerbated where seed beds were cloddy as this gives slugs the perfect conditions to move about and feed.
Foliar feed are an excellent boost to crops through either good or difficult conditions – applying the nutrients direct to the leaf area is a good way of stabilising plants when the going gets tough and can really push them on the when situation improves. A foliar feed such as Algifol can be applied to stressed or challenged cover with no risk to surrounding crops and at £22.00 per hectare it is a low cost/high benefit treatment.
Cropping Options
Keep an eye on the weather and be flexible. There is still plenty of time to get good crops away and many options still available. In addition to the ‘main crop’ choices such as maize, sorghum and kale there are quick growing, winter hardy options such as our Universal Mix (containing Coleor kale, tyfon (robust stubble turnip), kale rape and Vittasso brown mustard) all of which will get away quickly, stand well and can be planted into early July. Make the most of a potentially early harvest and broadcast a low cost option such as Stubbles Mix (containing forage rape, mustard and stubble turnips) into standing crops. This will make great holding cover, takes the pressure of the main cover areas and may give you an extra partridge drive or two early in the season.
Most importantly of all monitor your crops and be flexible over the next few weeks as this is the period that may well make or break your forthcoming shooting programme.
Ten Tips to Secure Cover Crop Success
1. Don't panic! We have a good three weeks of decent planting time ahead and after that there are numerous summer sown options available.
2. As in previous seasons the weather will probably catch up with itself and we will have rain (though it may be too much in one go).
3. Get the seed on site so that when it does rain you are ready to plant when the conditions are right.
4. If seedbeds have dried out on top, where possible look to drill maize as this can be planted at a depth to meet the moisture (down to four inches if required).
5. Small seeds and wild bird seed mixtures will need surface moisture, so keep an eye on the weather forecast.
6. Follow the drill with Cambridge rolls to retain moisture.
7. Be flexible. If conditions are against you, review your options and change the plan if necessary.
8. Look to plant the sites that are in reasonable order with the required crop. If some plots are not ready, wait and plant when conditions improve.
9. Keep in touch with those you work with, whether it is the farm staff, your seed supplier or fellow game managers. Advice and support is out there if you ask for it.
10. If conditions continue to be difficult in arable regions, look to secure areas of mixed height over-wintered stubble (a cheaper option) or strips of standing crop where you can sow some winter hardy catch crops.
Please contact us on 0800 587 9797 or see www.kingscrops.co.uk for further details.
2 June 2011 by , 0 comments
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