 |
Second Wheat Repays Essex Effort
17th March 2006
Second wheat continues to be an important element in Stuart and Neil Pulford’s arable rotation at Newbridge Mill, Lexden on the outskirts of Colchester. And the crop repays the effort the father and son team put into it, averaging around 3.5 t/acre (8.6 t/ha) compared with the 3.75 t/acre (9.25 t/ha) or so they generally produce from first wheat.
As part of their mixed farming business, the Pulford’s grow wheat two years out of every three across some 400 arable acres of valley land with a soils ranging from clay to light silty sand. The third year is devoted to a good cereal break – either oilseed rape, forage maize or winter beans.
Manure from the 500 head of cattle plays a vital role in the second wheat regime, as does careful variety choice.
“Over the years we’ve come to appreciate that some varieties definitely do well as second wheats while others just don’t fit,” explained Stuart. “Varieties like Claire we’ve tried and never gone back to. In contrast, Napier has been a firm favourite of ours for the past three years.
“The variety is very robust. It establishes well, achieves a good thick cover, has a decent length of straw and keeps growing well when others falter; characteristics that are particularly important on the lighter of our land.”
Since take-all hasn’t historically been a problem, the Pulfords don’t use a specialist seed dressing. They do, however, drill their second wheat in the first or second weeks of October as a rule to minimise any risk from the disease.
They also apply large amounts of cattle manure ahead of the crop to maintain the organic fertility of the land, providing a good supply of steadily-available N – not to mention P and K – to support the best autumn establishment and rooting coupled with good early spring growth.
“We always like to plough-in plenty of muck ahead of our second wheats,” Stuart Pulford noted. “The organic matter really helps them establish strongly and get going without delay in the spring. And, of course, it allows us to save on bagged fertiliser.”
|
|
|