Broken weather throughout August is making this year’s harvest a challenge.
Tillage farmers around the country continue to express their frustration, as heavy rain over the past two weeks has severely limited harvest opportunities and caused crop lodging in most areas.
Thursday (15 August) is the first expected dry day in many areas.
Pressure
Harvest pressure has been mixed this month.
Areas with ripe winter wheat, early spring barley, winter oats, winter oilseed rape and remaining few pockets of winter barley have been most under pressure.
Many farmers will attempt to harvest their most-ripe crops, with some crops anticipated to be harvested at high moistures.
Grain moistures as high as 26% in wheat and barley have been reported over the past 10 days.
Today’s weather
Cover crop drilling has been delayed in some fields this year as farmers attempt to clear fields.
Thursday morning will see dry spells in many areas.
From midday onwards we will see a mix of cloud and sunny spells.
However, scattered passing showers will occur in some areas as well, with the odd heavy one possible this afternoon.
Temperatures are forecast at between 18°C and 21°C.
Depending on your location, you may see more persistent rain creep in by this evening.
Rain is expected tonight and tomorrow and the weekend is looking less than promising.
Grain quality
We haven’t yet seen any significant fungal infections as result of the wet weather.
Grain quality is beginning to suffer in some crops.
We have received reports of sprouting in lodged winter wheat and spring barley crops.
There has also been a small amount of sprouting reported in standing wheat crops, but cases are too few to indicate which varieties are worst affected.
In addition to this, we have seen some cases of shedded grains in standing wheat crops, although this is limited to the most-ripe crops.
We haven’t yet seen any significant fungal infections as result of the wet weather.
Yields
Initial winter wheat yields are looking promising, with up to 5t/ac at 22% moisture content (mc) reported.
Early reports of spring malting barley crop yields are also good, with 3.5t/ac at 17% mc and proteins of below 9% common.
Read more here.
Straw
Farmers are reporting substantial lodging over the past 10 days, with spring barley worst affected.
Straw breakdown is an issue in winter oats and winter barley.
Straw in some areas has been on the ground for as long as five weeks, although these cases are limited.
However, there is many thousands of acres of straw yet to be baled and one day of dry weather will not be enough to sufficiently dry these swards.
Lying straw is proving difficult to bale.
Farmers have now indicated that they intend on chopping more straw, particularly oat and spring barley straw, to ensure fields are cleared and cover-crop planting can commence.
Early winter wheat straw yields are good, with five to six 8x4x4 bales/ac reported.
Reports suggest that some straw assemblers are baling tight to combines, ensuring the straw is baled before it gets wet.
There has been limited baling of spring barley straw so far.
Read more
Wet weather frustrating harvest progress
Tillage Management: weather playing havoc with harvest
Broken weather throughout August is making this year’s harvest a challenge.
Tillage farmers around the country continue to express their frustration, as heavy rain over the past two weeks has severely limited harvest opportunities and caused crop lodging in most areas.
Thursday (15 August) is the first expected dry day in many areas.
Pressure
Harvest pressure has been mixed this month.
Areas with ripe winter wheat, early spring barley, winter oats, winter oilseed rape and remaining few pockets of winter barley have been most under pressure.
Many farmers will attempt to harvest their most-ripe crops, with some crops anticipated to be harvested at high moistures.
Grain moistures as high as 26% in wheat and barley have been reported over the past 10 days.
Today’s weather
Cover crop drilling has been delayed in some fields this year as farmers attempt to clear fields.
Thursday morning will see dry spells in many areas.
From midday onwards we will see a mix of cloud and sunny spells.
However, scattered passing showers will occur in some areas as well, with the odd heavy one possible this afternoon.
Temperatures are forecast at between 18°C and 21°C.
Depending on your location, you may see more persistent rain creep in by this evening.
Rain is expected tonight and tomorrow and the weekend is looking less than promising.
Grain quality
We haven’t yet seen any significant fungal infections as result of the wet weather.
Grain quality is beginning to suffer in some crops.
We have received reports of sprouting in lodged winter wheat and spring barley crops.
There has also been a small amount of sprouting reported in standing wheat crops, but cases are too few to indicate which varieties are worst affected.
In addition to this, we have seen some cases of shedded grains in standing wheat crops, although this is limited to the most-ripe crops.
We haven’t yet seen any significant fungal infections as result of the wet weather.
Yields
Initial winter wheat yields are looking promising, with up to 5t/ac at 22% moisture content (mc) reported.
Early reports of spring malting barley crop yields are also good, with 3.5t/ac at 17% mc and proteins of below 9% common.
Read more here.
Straw
Farmers are reporting substantial lodging over the past 10 days, with spring barley worst affected.
Straw breakdown is an issue in winter oats and winter barley.
Straw in some areas has been on the ground for as long as five weeks, although these cases are limited.
However, there is many thousands of acres of straw yet to be baled and one day of dry weather will not be enough to sufficiently dry these swards.
Lying straw is proving difficult to bale.
Farmers have now indicated that they intend on chopping more straw, particularly oat and spring barley straw, to ensure fields are cleared and cover-crop planting can commence.
Early winter wheat straw yields are good, with five to six 8x4x4 bales/ac reported.
Reports suggest that some straw assemblers are baling tight to combines, ensuring the straw is baled before it gets wet.
There has been limited baling of spring barley straw so far.
Read more
Wet weather frustrating harvest progress
Tillage Management: weather playing havoc with harvest
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