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geofflud

Posted 10/2/2010 22:20 (#1382039)
Subject: Crops in West Aussie - pics included

Western Australia

As I replied in an earlier post, crops are suffering from the dry spell we are having. We are at 194mm (7.75") for the year, growing season is 170mm (6.8"), but the turning point is that we have only had 20mm (0.8") since early August. Crops were looking good at that stage, particularly the earlier sown crops. Some farms start planting the last week in April regardless if there has been any rain, but I prefer to wait till we have a germination of weeds to kill, and seed into a moist seedbed. So it ended up that I didn't start sowing till 23rd May with a Triazine Tolerant Canola, and then Roundup Ready Canola. This is the first year we have been able to sow GM Canola. After that went on to lupins, followed by barley and then wheat and finished on some chick peas. Apart from the lack of rain, we have had a long run of heavy frosts, which together made it difficult to get a good control of weeds as they were always under stress.

The first shows a portion of wheat that received more moisture that ran off a neighbours block

the second shows where there is shallow rock under the surface

the third and fourth are TTcanola, the fourth showing where the spray contractor had some Roundup in the lines when spraying atrazine as a top up, and wiped out the first round, but the canola has come up from seed that had not germinated at the time of spraying

the fifth and sixth are wheat from two parts of the farm. The fifth is a gravel type soil with a little more rain, while the sixth is from a heavy clay and is showing the effects of either frost or the dry conditions stopping the top of the head from setting any seed

But I will say that we are fortunate to have some crop that we may yet harvest, I have heard of some who say they will not get the combine out at all.

the seventh is some lupins, but with not as many pods as we would like

the last is a picture at the side of our house showing a wisteria in full bloom. I t comes out in a show of flowers and the drops the blossom and the leaves com out and makes a good shade to the side of the house

Edited by geofflud 10/2/2010 22:56