Growing a productive brassica crop such as kale, rape, swedes and leaf or bulb turnips can take hard work.
Weeds and pests can very quickly overrun a brassica crop. They are highly competitive and if left uncontrolled can devastate yields.
Problems such as weeds and pests can have a huge impact on productivity, not to mention the added complications of soil fertility and the weather.
Both weeds and pests can have an impact on yield from as early as sowing.
Controlling the weeds in the crop will:
- Increase the yield by up to three times, compared to crops grown in the absence of weed control
- Reduce weeds in subsequent new pasture by stopping weed seed set in the crop. Controlling pests will:
- Maximise yields as damage at the crop establishment stage is minimised
- Reduce economic loss from decreased production.
Timing of corrective measures is as important as choosing the right solution.
Some of these solutions begin long before the crop is sown, so planning is critical to achieving success.