Welcome to our Autumn 2010 News

Following a sound harvest for most crops thoughts are turning to what to plant this year, with nothing to get excited about at this stage.

Grass Grub are quite active in some areas and the best thing to do is to go and have a dig to see if control is going to be required. If you average more than 5 grubs per spade then control is justified. Also keep an eye out for Porina in silage paddocks or any paddocks with open cover. Control is relatively cheap as they can do quite a bit of damage if left untreated.

It is a good time for soil sampling after crops have been cleared. As fertiliser prices increase again, inputs will need to be targeted to help keep costs down. Achieving the correct soil balance will produce a healthy plant that will grow more vigorously, hopefully reducing chemical inputs and increasing yields.

Forage brassicas have been under a lot of pressure from Diamond Back Moth and White Butterfly. Through the hot dry periods you have to grin and bear this or spend big money. As the weather cools off this pressure will reduce and crops will start to grow away from the damage. Most crops will benefit from an Aphid spray with trace elements included. One well timed application should be sufficient for the rest of the season.

Fodder beet crops have been growing well and should produce the yield required to cover the cost. Poor establishment from certain varieties/seed lines made early weed control difficult and produced some uneven crops. Where the establishment was good, even sized bulbs will hopefully make the crop easier to utilise.  The weather will have the final say on this though.

Although soil moistures are up and down at present, pre-emergence herbicides on brassicas and ryegrass are well worth considering.  Post-em sprays are limited and results can be variable. 

There have been a couple of additions to Mountainview’s Agronomy Team with Sally Truelove and Gary Rackham joining us. I will be in the UK for a few months over winter. Hopefully I have seen you to explain this; if not I will drop in shortly.

For any agronomy issues please contact at the office (03) 302 8098.

Will Foster