Teagasc has confirmed that shallow cultivation of post-harvest stubbles must take place within 10 days of baling.
In cases where straw is chopped, cultivation must take place within 10 days of harvest. In all circumstances, shallow cultivation must take place within 14 days of harvesting.
Shallow cultivation is not required on certified organic holdings, after the harvesting of root crops or late-harvested crops, where cereals are under sown with another crop, where cereals or beans are harvested after September 15, or on lands destined for winter-combinable crops that are sown before October 31.
However, where shallow cultivation is required, then a minimum of 20% and a maximum of 25% of cereal land must not be subject to shallow cultivation after harvest.
This is to provide available winter foraging habitat for seed-eating birds and mammals.
Shallow cultivation
The 20 to 25% of land that is not shallow cultivated must not have any herbicides applied until at least February 1 the following year, unless a crop has been planted.
Winter cereals have a demand for phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), which ensures that crops are well-established in terms of rooting and tiller development entering the winter period.
Index 3 soils will have a good supply of P and K for crop establishment; therefore, omit P and K applications until spring.
For index 1 or 2 soils, apply nutrients as shown as follows: Index 1, 200kg 0-10-20; Index 2, 100kg 0-10-20
A fertiliser product such as 0-10-20 or 0-7- 30 will supply the correct balance of P and K at this stage. It should be applied at sowing and be incorporated into the seedbed.
Growers should complete fertiliser P applications by October 31. Where organic manures are available they should be considered as a source of P and K for winter cereals.
E.g., farmyard manure (FYM)/cattle slurry/mushroom compost are all suitable organic manures, as they are low in nitrogen (N) and will supply good levels of organic matter.
Meanwhile, Met Éireann is predicting a dry week ahead. This should allow tillage farmers to get on with needed field work with a fair degree of certainty.
The reality is that, ground conditions should stay in reasonable shape right through until the middle of October, irrespective of how bad the weather gets up to that point.
Other good news for tillage farmers comes by way of confirmation that early sow oilseed rape crops are germinating well.