Catch crop after maize in 2020: what are the options?

It is mandatory to sow a catch crop on sandy and loess soil with maize before 1 October. Sowing a catch crop is not mandatory for other large soil types such as clay and peat.

Catch crops limit nitrogen leaching and contribute to the retention of organic matter, which is good for the soil structure. However, the obligation to sow catch crops before 1 October presents the grower with choices, because sowing after the maize harvest will not always be possible.

Catch crops can be sown at different times:

1. Re-seed
Re-sowing means sowing a slow-germinating catch crop (usually reed fescue) in the week of sowing maize. This can be done just before, during or just after sowing the maize.

Benefits:

• Can sow corn in 1 pass
• More capacity compared to under-sowing with a hoe

Cons:

• Competition with main crop is significant
• Most crop protection restrictions.

Sow crop protection
It is important for the 4^e leaf stage to choose the right agent and the right dosage, so that the reed fescue comes to rest for a while and the maize continues to grow. In this way, the maize growth is not hindered by the additional sowing. The crux lies in the fact that the weather conditions have a major influence on the success of this weed control and on the inhibition of the undersown reed fescue. Our advice is to leave both the soil herbicide and the grass remedy out of the mix.

2. Undersow
Undersowing is the sowing of catch crops 'under leaf', during the growth of the maize and often with Italian or perennial rye grass.

The right time to hoe, or under-seed, is when the first leaves in the row (75cm) touch each other, just before the rows have closed. In one, that is about mid-June.

Please note: in very fertile weather we may only have about two weeks to be able to undersow without much damage! In addition, it can also be too wet to under-sow at all. Here too, circumstances that we cannot control are decisive!

Benefits

• Less competition with main crop compared to secondary sowing
• Options for applying mechanical weed control
• More possibilities with chemical crop protection compared to sowing

Cons

• Limitation of long-term effect of crop protection
• Weed control is not possible before emergence
• Create new seedbed
• In very growing weather you may only have 2 weeks to be able to sow without much damage
• Risk that it is too wet to undersow

Undersow crop protection
The advice is to apply the chemical weed control early, preferably before the 4^e leaf stage. Our advice is to leave the soil herbicide out of the mix. Grass products are safe in the mix.

3. Seed
Sowing maize early and using an early variety can be an opportunity to sow the catch crop in September, no later than October 1 (after the maize harvest).
There is no guarantee that chopping will be successful before that date. From a cultivation point of view, seed sowing has major advantages:

• No competition catch crop with maize during the growing season
• Wider use of crop protection agents possible during the maize growing season
• Effortlessly apply a densification-releasing operation after harvest
• Less harvest risk

Post-sowing is most suitable on light, warmer sandy soils with low weed pressure, which are located in the south or east of the Netherlands. It is not recommended to use post-sowing on torn grassland.

Consult with your contractor!
In many cases, an early harvest will not be possible, so you will have to choose to sow a catch crop during maize sowing (re-sowing) or when the maize has reached knee length (under-sowing).
One of the most important pieces of advice is to discuss with your contractor at an early stage what you want and what options and practical advice he has to make your catch crop a success.

Do you want to know more about us?
In addition to sufficient Italian grass seed, ForFarmers also has Topcover Grass in its range. Topcover Grass consists of 50% Italian and 50% Westerwold rye grass. The seed rate is 25 kg per ha. The combination of Westerwolds and Italian ensures rapid soil coverage and maximum organic matter production. We can offer you Topcover Grass for attractive conditions.

Please contact your ForFarmers specialist, our customer service or for Forfarmers dealer in your region.