Spring barley is a go in East Cork! Conditions are exceptional for the time of year. RGT Planet being drilled at 195 kg/ha destined for Malting Company of Ireland. Early drilled spring barley crops will need careful monitoring for Net Blotch and Rhyncho.

What a stunning full moon and sky over Ballycotton tonight

Well sown is half grown. This is forgiving ground and RGT Planet has certainly coped well with the March monsoon. Final N spilt to be applied ASAP.

Really good fun Siobhán Walsh! Nice to be still classed as “young” 😅

Net Blotch is particularly prevalent in certain varieties of spring barley this year. 1st 2 pics crop drilled mid April. Last 2 pics crop drilled early March.

Early March crop of Isabelle spring oats looking very impressive. Nutrition has been a key feature to date with trace elements tailored early in play. Crop now ready for its T1 fungicide and 1st PGR.

Winter OSR is after a tough start this year. This crop was drilled on Sept 8th but is putting up one hell of a fight. It’s received a 1/2 rate of slug pellets & so far so good. Volunteers to be taken out with a graminicide this week, ground conditions permitting.

The 2023 slug battle is relentless! Pellets (applied 5 days ago before rain) are still visible and doing a good job. Recently planted crops are just striking and are vulnerable, particularly after chopped straw, osr and beans.

Plenty of apothecia fruiting bodies present in this crop of OSR. Result from a warm and damp summer, along with sclerotia in the soil. Historically tight rotation of potatoes and OSR . Phoma also very noticeable at a high level.

There is a feeling of spring in the air. Getting around some crops over the last few days. WB following Beans, calculating GAI’s in OSR crops and plant counts in later drilled wheat. A mixed bag of crops as we enter spring, all will require specific mgmt.

From orchards to wheat fields….a real sense of spring in the air today

Both OSR and winter barley have responded well to their first N application almost 3 weeks ago. Main N splits planned for the next 7 days. PGR due on OSR when conditions allow also, along with T1 and PGR on barley.

October drilled wheats are carrying high levels of Septoria at present, unsurprising considering the high levels of rainfall over the last number of months. Leaf3 on the main stem is approx 70% out. Tillers are still somewhat behind.

The barley party is a late start this year! Ploughed and furrow pressed ground is coming up a treat. Planet going in at 200kg/ha and all NPK in the bed. Here’s hoping for a favourable growing season 🙏🏻

Orcade winter barley looking impressive in East Cork today. Drilled after beans on free draining ground, just before the torrential flooding that devastated East Cork last October. Awns very close to emerging in this new BYDV tolerant variety. T2 fungicide around 5-7 days off.

Graham winter wheat in Co.Wexford. Slight spray miss at the T0 timing with Comet and Thiopron. Both Yellow Rust and Septoria notably very aggressive in the untreated area. LHS - No To. RHS - T0 applied 14 days ago

What a difference 14 days make! Net Blotch present in spring barley at the 3 leaf stage has really ramped up now in this crop of RGT Planet that is now mid tillering. This crop is yet to receive its T1 but does signal the importance of not delaying your T1 fungicide in 2024!

A super crop of November drilled Orcade winter barley, at the ideal timing for its final fungicide.

The Munster Hurling Championship, the only show in town! Doesn’t get much sweeter than beating Limerick in their own back yard……. Rebels Abú ❤️🤍

Gutted to be missing the big one on Sunday! Best of luck to Fergal Condon and the Cork hurlers! Marty Morrissey , lots of love for Cork hurling from the hills of Ella in Sri Lanka! Cork GAA Aghada GAA, Camogie & Ladies Football Club