Fodder planting for Winter... To late???

Gilroy

Hi all,

Looking to see if a could plant kale or something to reduce feed costs the winter.

Main aim is the have cattle out grazing the crop. Around about 8 acre field.

Could i plant anything now in September or am i to late.

Username John

Gilroy wrote: »

Hi all,

Looking to see if a could plant kale or something to reduce feed costs the winter.

Main aim is the have cattle out grazing the crop. Around about 8 acre field.

Could i plant anything now in September or am i to late.

Ordered a rape + stubble turnip mix earlier, to go in after wheat (which will hopefully be cut in the coming days, weather dependant)

First time doing it.

Its for sheep, not sure if I'll get a great crop, but the seed isn't that expensive, so worth a shot... I think its do-able up to mid Sept.
But its up to the weather, bad weather, and it might have nothing

Gilroy

Username John wrote: »

Ordered a rape + stubble turnip mix earlier, to go in after wheat (which will hopefully be cut in the coming days, weather dependant)

First time doing it.

Its for sheep, not sure if I'll get a great crop, but the seed isn't that expensive, so worth a shot... I think its do-able up to mid Sept.
But its up to the weather, bad weather, and it might have nothing

Who do you deal with and what cost for seed. Are you direct drilling?

Username John

Gilroy wrote: »

Who do you deal with and what cost for seed. Are you direct drilling?

No, spreading with the spinner... will give most of it a rub of a harrow beforehand. But I want to just throw some out without a harrow, so see how it compares.

I have been told its better to harrow before spreading, and it doesnt matter if you harrow or not... so thats why I want to try both...

I dealt with a local lad, he said about 20euro/acre (that was a rough cost, based on the price of rapeseed, he didn't have an exact cost on stubble turnip seed for me)

Sami23

Gilroy wrote: »

Hi all,

Looking to see if a could plant kale or something to reduce feed costs the winter.

Main aim is the have cattle out grazing the crop. Around about 8 acre field.

Could i plant anything now in September or am i to late.

Yes you could still go with fodder rape till mid-September. Just remember to lash on the fertiliser to make up for the late sowing date.

Username John

Sami23 wrote: »

Yes you could still go with fodder rape till mid-September. Just remember to lash on the fertiliser to make up for the late sowing date.

Plan was to go with bag of 18-6-12 / acre at sowing, and then more IF it grows (As I don't want to lash out fertiliser if the weather goes against me) but the 15th Sept deadline might change this plan...

Sam Kade

Username John wrote: »

Plan was to go with bag of 18-6-12 / acre at sowing, and then more IF it grows (As I don't want to lash out fertiliser if the weather goes against me) but the 15th Sept deadline might change this plan...

You'd want at least 3 bags of 18 6 11 to the acre for rape. I often planted it but wouldn't never sow it after 20th of August you would be better off planting stubble turnips up to mid sept.

memorystick

With grain and silage/hay being so cheap along with the cold weather, I'd say think about an alternative. Maybe I'm wrong.

Username John

Just after spreading some rape & stubble turnip seed out on the wheat. Its not cut yet, so just spread a small bit by hand, walking the tramlines... Soon as its cut will out out some fertiliser...

Time will tell if it was a good or terrible idea... :P

Bullocks

With the year that's in it I would be inclined to buy silage now as opposed to sowing much of a catch crop . It'll never be as cheap as it's going at the minute and the winter could be a long one yet

Username John

Bullocks wrote: »

With the year that's in it I would be inclined to buy silage now as opposed to sowing much of a catch crop . It'll never be as cheap as it's going at the minute and the winter could be a long one yet

Would agree Bullocks - but silage doesn't suit me really.