Weather: The drier weather over the last few days has been great. Many have been out spraying, planting winter cereals, digging potatoes and pulling beet. It has been a great chance to get more crops in. These crops will be at higher risk of birds and weather damage as they are not established and will be slower to come up. Keep an eye on slugs as well. Apply a pre-emergence herbicide to these crops and apply a post-emergence to any crops that are up, but were not sprayed. Oilseed rape is also being sprayed for disease and should be while the chance presents itself.
Aphids: There are plenty of reports of aphids at present. The colder weather should help to reduce numbers and travel. Winter wheat was hit badly in many areas and fields by barley yellow dwarf virus last season. Many are out spraying crops at present and this is probably wise. Colder weather may help to reduce numbers, but there have been plenty of aphids out and about. Barley is the crop people are questioning spraying. Non-tolerant varieties have been sprayed by many. Research shows that tolerant varieties benefit from aphicide application in high-pressure years, but you generally only find out if the pressure was high come summer time or harvest. You can see aphids, but how many are carrying virus and how many are resistant to aphicide? Will the aphicide kill other beneficial insects and when does infection occur? In recent years, infection looks to have taken place at different times throughout the winter.
Fertiliser: Calculate up your fertiliser recommendations where possible for the season ahead. This will allow you to price products. Some of you usually purchase at this time of the year or in December or January, while for others it may not be possible now. It’s hard to know what markets will do, so farmers will have to decide if it’s a risk to purchase fertiliser now or if it is more likely to go up in price than down. It’s not an easy decision to make, but maybe it makes sense to look into buying some. If you have locked into an oilseed rape price for an example you have some more certainty on a return from whatever percentage you have sold.
Soil samples: Take soil samples or put in your request to get them taken if they are due. The weather is good and there will be a backlog in the spring time.
Plastics collections: As we come to the end of the year there is plenty of plastic and there are product containers which can be recycled. Plastic collections continue in some parts of the country, while others may have been earlier in the year. Remember you need a receipt from plastic collections to show that you disposed of plant protection product containers, fertiliser bags and silage plastic correctly. Laois and Offaly collections are in November and Wicklow are in December. If you’re in Kilkenny you can deliver to Gowran anytime. Check the ads in the paper or the IFFPG website for details on all collections.
