winter wheat

marathon

I have a 15 acre field that has rushes in it and in order to clean it up im thinking of sowing winter wheat in it. any ideas what it would cost from start to finish to include seed price and contractor to plough sow and harvest wheat at end?

Username John

Dont know if this will help you : http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2014/3100/TeagascCropMargins2014.pdf

Am interested to hear why you think putting in winter wheat would clear up rushes?
I wouldn't know much about crops, but they seem to be a break-even crop a lot of the time, not to mind putting them in fields where rushes are growing?

marathon

ive had a contracter advise me to do it dat way and then reseed it im not great at the crops myself but seems a big cost just to clear up the field

Username John

marathon wrote: »

ive had a contracter advise me to do it dat way and then reseed it im not great at the crops myself but seems a big cost just to clear up the field

Would agree with you in that wheat seems a lot of cost, for maybe not much return (if any) if the aim is just to clear the field.

Neighbour grows a bit of kale every year, and he finds it good as he thinks the roots go down deepish and improves drainage a bit... I don't know if you'd have use for 15 acres of kale, but it should be a cheaper alternative.
Maybe put in a few acres of kale next summer, sacrifice the rest of the field over the winter and reseed all in Spring 2017?

marathon

yea maybe ur right what is kale usualy used for

Username John

marathon wrote: »

yea maybe ur right what is kale usualy used for

Outwintering cattle or sheep...

Why the need or push for a crop if you dont mind me asking?
You could just spray the rushes too, and keep spraying em til they're gone... ?

I wouldn't be the best man to advise now Marathon, so I dunno if you should be listening to the likes of me... I'll let some wiser people comment, as am sure they have better ideas & knowledge than me on crops and dealing with rushes...

marathon

it wasn't my idea for the crops it was the contractor that had advised me but I kinda cudnt understand why he wud want me do dat when can just spray rushes and reseed it

Grueller

marathon wrote: »

it wasn't my idea for the crops it was the contractor that had advised me but I kinda cudnt understand why he wud want me do dat when can just spray rushes and reseed it

Cynic in me says he wanted the job of ploughing , harrowing, sowing, spraying and harvesting.

marathon

was first taught came to my head

Greengrass1

Is the land wet? Or have you drained it now?
Round up and plough should get rid if them if it's no longer wet.

marathon

no not wet is dry land so I think dats the root il go dwn

Greengrass1

marathon wrote: »

no not wet is dry land so I think dats the root il go dwn

Plough so. We had rushes here on dry land and that got rid of them

jimmy G M

Grueller wrote: »

Cynic in me says he wanted the job of ploughing , harrowing, sowing, spraying and harvesting.

I think I'd agree. You need good ground to grow wheat, and you need dry ground to ensure that the combine can travel to harvest it. If you got wet weather around harvest time it would be a right mess.

Why is the field rushy? what is the nature of the ground? I think i'd be doing a combination of cutting, spraying the rushes,lime, pan-busting / mole plough over the next while and see what that gives you. A poor wheat crop in a bad year followed by having to reseed could cost you well over €400 per acre?