Harnser Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 After opening the box down the bunker today I had a good ride around the farm . As you are all aware the rape at the moment looks pretty bad . what with all the bad weather and all the frosts it looks pretty unplatable for the pigeons . My friend has started top dressing the rape with nitrates to give it a boast . In about a week or so the rape will start to regrow fresh shoots and then it will be more palatable to the pigeons as it will start to turn a better green colour . Watch your rape after it has been top dressed . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berettaman Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 Good advise Harnser,next time im up my permission i will check with the farm manager as to when or if hes going to top dress, then its just the old waiting and watching game,must admit the rape does look well trashed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookiemonsterandmerlin. Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 I found that top dressing push the birds off for about two weeks as it makes the rape taste bitter. All our rape has just been top dressed but if it stays dry it will not be absorded by the rape straight away. Then its battle between the rape tasting better but growing too fast the only upside tho that is it can focus the birds into areas that are behind. Regards OTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berettaman Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 I found that top dressing push the birds off for about two weeks as it makes the rape taste bitter. All our rape has just been top dressed but if it stays dry it will not be absorded by the rape straight away. Then its battle between the rape tasting better but growing too fast the only upside tho that is it can focus the birds into areas that are behind. Regards OTH I have a field that is realy poor, bare patches all over,as a result its the one field they dont bother with so i suppose after the top dressing there will be a marked improvement and the birds will return Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 A bit of sunshine and warmth will do it a lot of good too. The crop i've looked over and shot the last three weeks has been brown with not a lot of goodness in the leaf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookiemonsterandmerlin. Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 (edited) The key factor of growth is soil temp not air temp most crops need 4c to start root growth. Top dressing at the moment is hopeful as the ground is still well below that in oxfordshire . Oilseed rape grows at lower temps compare to barley and wheat etc this why it gets top dressed first. Regards OTH Edited March 9, 2010 by Over the hill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berettaman Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 A bit of sunshine and warmth will do it a lot of good too. The crop i've looked over and shot the last three weeks has been brown with not a lot of goodness in the leaf. The field i am refering to is a case of "what leaves" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdubya Posted March 10, 2010 Report Share Posted March 10, 2010 the soon to be 12 hours of daylight is like flicking the growth switch on! it will all soon be growing fast. KW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefy Posted March 12, 2010 Report Share Posted March 12, 2010 whats the chance of the pigeons decoying after top dressing, will they land on them feilds or avoid them and is it worth still having a go for them, thanks for info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted March 13, 2010 Report Share Posted March 13, 2010 If they're there, shoot 'em, if they're not, don't bother, it's that simple, do a proper recce the day before you shoot. As OTH says, it's soil temperature that promotes growth, it's amazing how quickly rape will re-grow as the soil warms up and the nitrates in the fert kick in. If you know what you're doing you can have some really good bags at this time of year as the taller rape gets away from the birds and they then all concentrate in one or two areas on the field, (usually around the margins), that are slower to re-grow. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobby Posted March 13, 2010 Report Share Posted March 13, 2010 After opening the box down the bunker today I had a good ride around the farm . As you are all aware the rape at the moment looks pretty bad . what with all the bad weather and all the frosts it looks pretty unplatable for the pigeons . My friend has started top dressing the rape with nitrates to give it a boast . In about a week or so the rape will start to regrow fresh shoots and then it will be more palatable to the pigeons as it will start to turn a better green colour . Watch your rape after it has been top dressed . Harnser . ah thanks for the post. there was massive flocks near me a few weeks back. now they have moved on to somewhere else. last week the farmers were out putting down the nitrogen balls and we had a bit of rain over the last few days so fingers crossed theyl be comming back to meet mr 12 lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted March 13, 2010 Report Share Posted March 13, 2010 All my wheat and rape has been top dressed in the last two days so that's me done for the next 2 weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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