We are currently drawing to the end of the maize; it will be a welcome end to this year’s harvest. Then we can fully focus on next year’s crops.

Maize yields have varied, and it has taught us lessons for the future. I’m hoping the rain will stay away long enough to limit any damage to the fields.

See also: Grower moves to direct-drilled OSR and companion crops

About the author

Charlie Cheyney

Arable Farmer Focus writer Charlie Cheyney farms more than 480ha land in Hampshire in partnership with his father. They run a mixed arable and 450-cow dairy enterprise, growing cereal and forage crops on varying soils, from chalk to heavy clay.

Read more articles by Charlie Cheyney

Luckily, we were able to get the subsoiler out to take out the bad wheelings on the clay, which would not have taken rain well.

We have succeeded in drilling some wheat, which was direct-drilled after a grass ley.

We applied muck to help the wheat get away, but I think it can often still be sluggish, caused by the breakdown of the grass sward.

My theory is that an earlier drill date will mean quicker breakdown of the grass and more time for the wheat to grow away in the warmer weather.

I was pleased when looking at the soil that there were high numbers of worms, indicating good soil condition.

This year we also have some long-term grass going into wheat, with the idea of it going back into grass next autumn.

Here, we will likely plough up the old sward. This will hopefully get rid of the nettles and thistles that have become a problem and take out the compaction from heavy stocking.

Also, it will give us a better chance against leatherjackets.

This autumn we have also done some spot pH testing in the fields to try and identify any problem areas.

Luckily, there were no standout problematic spots and a maintenance dose in one field was all that was required.

The oilseed rape seems to be growing well and has managed to fend off the flea beetle – only a few patchy headlands are left to catch up.

We applied slurry to some of the poorer patches a few weeks after drilling to distract any beetles. It is hard to say whether this worked as a repellent or the extra nutrients were more important. Either way, the patches seem to have caught up well.