ÄDELHOLM 2023: NO RAIN AND TIII
2023-05-16. sow +39 days, 160 degree-days_base3, 19.4mm rainfall.
NO RAIN
The last rain we had was three weeks ago. There is some forecast for tonight, but it feels pretty uncertain given it will come from storm activity i.e very hit and miss: we got 5 mm in about 15 minutes in Malmö yesterday with a bit of hail (see below), but nothing at Ädelholm, or anywhere else in Skåne.
Cause for concern? 2018 has been mentioned a few times in the past weeks. There are cracks forming in the soil, but there is also definitely still soil moisture.
The biggest concern is the reduced weed control that results from a dry soil surface.
WEEDS
Weed control has undoubtedly been effective (photo 1 below). But there is still plenty of green out there that is not sugar beet. The majority of this is still black-bindweed (aka Fallopia convolvulus, eller åkerbinda). There is just a lot of this in the field, but also the most effective active agents against bindweed like moisture. Next on the list is field pansy, but also some oilseed-rape, something goosefoot like, and even common fumitory (I think – jordrök – not in photos).
TIII will be as soon as possible. The recipe includes:
- 0.75 l/ha Goltix (taking us to the 3.0 l/ha annual limit),
- 2.0 l/ha Betanal,
- 0.25 l/ha Tramat,
- 20 g/ha Safari
- 0.6 l/ha Tanaris
- Olja
INSECTS
The little yellow dot spring tails (columbolla) are everywhere (1st three photos). There are a few flea beetles (jordloppa – photo 4 and damage in photo 5), weevils (6th photo – right edge of leaf in middle of image), black things (some winged, photos 7-9), and some eggs (photos 10 & 11). It looks like the two white eggs are beet-fly / mangold-fly (betfluga) and the other one is hopefully something beneficial.
DEVELOPMENT
Feels OK. Up to BBCH14, even BBCH16 in some patches. The plant count went down in week 20 to 222, from 224 in week 19. I’ll probably try a plant count with the drone in the coming weeks.
