|
|
| I have a situation where I have to windrow a winter wheat crop to combine properly, very rare for my production area. What moisture and or stage of maturity can I windrow at and still allow for proper grain fill? |
|
| |
|
NW Washington | Here is a cut and paste from a Canadian site.
"Moisture content of the crop's seed helps to determine when swathing should occur. Wheat and oats are swathed when moisture content is 35 percent, barley is swathed when the content is between 35 and 40 percent and rye is cut when moisture is up to 45 percent. Moisture content can be determined by looking at the kernels and with a "touch" test; kernels should be fairly firm, but can be indented with a finger or thumbnail. " |
|
| |
|
Roseglen, North Dakota | Perhaps 'grain fill' isn't the proper term, if it hasn't filled and you swath it, you will just have straw. Straw can be greenish, kernals so you can dent easily with fingernail and hardly shell the head. It will 'cure out' to a nice red color, even if it's rained on (if it's rained on when it's green)
Are you having to swath because of weeds? |
|
| |
|
S.E. South Dakota | Why do you have swath it? |
|
| |
|
Marshfield, WI | We swath about 150 acres per year because it's frost seeded with 4 lbs of red clover for plow down. This is SRW no-tilled into bean stubble. When the heads start tipping down and the green starts to disappear from the stem, I start. swampbuster |
|
| |
|
| Well, It is contaminated with a " weed " that is worth nearly as much as the wheat crop. My plan is to windrow for even drydown and salvage both across my seed cleaner. Kind of a variation of the silk purse / sow's ear story. Wheat is just " turning" and I would estimate 3 weeks away if cut standing. |
|
| |
|
Somerville, Indiana | roundup that drifted in from a corn field has done well on winter wheat here, just before all green is gone on the stalk, have to be ready or wheat will be 9% before you know it. |
|
| |
|
Galahad, Alberta | The general rule is if you can make a dent in a kernel with your finger nail and it pops back out, it is too wet/green yet. If the dent stays in the kernel, you can swath. You will be surprised at how fast the wheat cures if you get some nice warm weather and wind after swathing.
Rosco |
|
| |
Swathing Wheat
