Plants struggle to survive
in sodden conditions.
Photo Farming Online.

South West: Rape now dormant in the cold temperatures and pigeons are starting to cause real damage.

Eastern Counties: Pat Turnbull reports that in the last two weeks many crops have stood still or gone backwards. Early drilled rape is now losing some older leaves but still looking very good with near complete ground cover. Late drilled rape continues to struggle, the slugs have continued to be a nuisance, rabbit grazing is rife and now we have the pigeons. We will make a decision on these crops in February. Some still have outstanding graminicide/fungicide application to be made. No recent field activity as ground very wet, standing water on some headlands and low areas.

Phoma: little re-infection yet. Keep checking for re-infection. Consider a second application if necessary.

East Midlands: No change - crops going backwards due to pigeons, frozen soils and rabbits. Some crops will have difficulty in reaching spring. Pigeons now a major problem with some big flocks.

Phoma: many crops sprayed but some still to receive main fungicide which is now becoming a worry. On plus side cold weather has slowed down the phoma development and crops still look reasonably clean but time will tell if phoma has developed and is yet to show in milder conditions.

West Midlands: Still a lot of crops struggling in the wet and cold. Most forward crops now at 8 - 9 leaf stage and backward crops at the 2 - 3, very small, leaf stage.

Phoma: many crops unsprayed but cold weather has slowed down the phoma development and crops still look reasonably clean.

Pigeons: moving into crop.

North East: Very wet. Bigger crops look ok despite some purpling. Many crops still very small, and are struggling to survive in current conditions.

Phoma: most crops have been sprayed, but a few not done as caught out by poor weather. These are at risk of severe damage but can only spray when conditions have improved.

Weeds: no spraying been done in last 14 days and none expected for several weeks now as need a long spell of good weather before conditions will be suitable.

Severe water logging
after heavy rain.
Photo Phillip Tuplin.

South West: Stephen Harrison reports that there has been little growth over the past 2 weeks. Heavy rain last Saturday caused a lot of soil wash and capping on silty fields. Plants are standing still. Land now saturated and no prospects of further drilling pre Christmas.

Weeds: a lot of sterile brome emerged but temperatures too low for good control and little chance of obtaining the required dry leaf.

East Midlands: Martin Eudall reports no change with the cold soils. If anything crops going backwards with blue leaves and poor root systems in the wet soils. Soils totally saturated with standing water in many fields.

Slugs: cold, frosty weather has slowed them down but low levels of leaf shredding still in evidence.

Weeds: little spraying done and none envisaged for some weeks unless drastic change in weather.

West Midlands: Bryce Rham reports that, very little change in crop growth over the last two weeks. Fields essentially waterlogged. Most forward crops now at GS 22 but a lot of crops only at the one to two leaf stage. It will take a prolonged dry spell before we can get back on the land.

Weeds: a lot of crops have yet to receive any herbicides so a re-think will be necessary in the new year.

Eastern Counties: Brendan Butterworth reports that growth has virtually stopped due to cold wet conditions. Early drilled at GS 2.2-2.3 (mid tillering), majority at GS 1.2-2.1. Some still only at emerging to two leaf stage.

Weeds: blackgrass control has been good after early pre-emergence herbicides, forward plants now tillering, little to no emergence on late-drilled crops.

North East: Another 34mm rainfall locally in last 14 days, but some parts of the area had much more. Fields now totally water-logged and there is a lot of standing water (see photo).

South: No real improvement in the winter barley situation over the last 2 weeks. Crops on cold, wet land continue to look miserable.

Eastern Counties: All emerged and range from G.S. 13 - 21.

East Midlands: Little change - forward crops have 1 tiller but main at 3-4 leaf stage. Crops remain quite clean at present and most unlikely any sprays will go on before Christmas, with spring early sprays now quite likely unless January/February weather is kind.

West Midlands: Some crops showing yellowing due to waterlogged soil conditions, very few sprayed due to poor conditions.

North East: Very wet. No spray recommendations outstanding. Many crops looking very yellow now.