WITH April proving to be a rather glorious month, most of the forage maize was drilled about a fortnight earlier than usual with about 90 per cent in the ground by the end of the month.

Sometimes, however, nature taps us on the shoulder and reminds us just really who is in charge and we consequently ended up with a rather cool and wet May, resulting in maize crops throughout the region looking rather sickly, with purplish and anaemic looking crops being somewhat commonplace. Some farmers have already applied a foliar feed or nitrogen because the crop is looking so sick, but in most cases, what the crop really wants is sunshine and for the soil temperatures to warm up - and once that happens the crop will really start to motor.

Last month, I reported that although we had "lost" the Advanta site in West Devon, we had been successful in locating another site in Cornwall and would still be reporting, as in previous years, on the progress of four sites. However, I was still a little nervous that we did not have anything that really represented the true marginal conditions that a lot of maize growers experience, but am now delighted to report that courtesy of the efforts of Cornwall Farmers Ltd in N Devon, we have located a site at 700 ft. near Ilfracombe where conditions for growing maize can be exceptionally marginal at times and will ultimately test out how early some maize varieties really are.

Drilled on May 19 at 45,000 seeds per acre, a total of 15 varieties were chosen from six different plant breeders. The chosen site, although being 700 ft, is south facing and has a deep loamy soil which allowed good seedbed preparation with an early vigour inspection being taken on June 15. Destiny and Sapphire with six leaves were just ahead of a pack of five varieties from Advanta and KWS which had five advanced and healthy looking leaves. There was quite a lot of variability between the remainder with Revolver and Kangaroo looking, for the moment, quite thin and purplish.

Cornwall Farmers site, Tregony, near Truro. Drilled on May 2 at 42,500 seeds per acre, an early vigour inspection was taken on June 14 with Sapphire and Destiny being just ahead of the rest with eight leaves and the ninth just coming through. These were closely followed by Beethoven, Crescendo and Kullas with eight leaves, six varieties having seven leaves and the remaining five varieties with just six leaves - the variety Revolver being the weakest at this stage.

Mole Valley Farmers site, Newquay Drilled on April 14 at 42,500 seeds per acre, an early vigour inspection on the 22 varieties was taken on June 14 with Acclaim and Aurelia having the edge with nine leaves and the 10th just coming through. There were a number of varieties just a shade behind which included Kingdom, Nimrod, Duly, ES Agreement and Huski with Mikis being the weakest with only six/seven leaves.

Mole Valley Farmers site, Bridgwater, Somerset. A total of 25 varieties were drilled on April 25 at 43,000 seeds per acre and as I have often reported, this site is extremely favourable - it being virtually at sea level and lying on a lovely peaty soil. An early vigour inspection was taken on June 13 with Acclaim and Chalice being the furthest ahead - the rows having almost closed and, as you would have expected for a site such as this, most of the material on trial was at quite an advanced stage, looking extremely favourable and having nine/ten leaves. There were, however, some exceptions - even on such a site as this - with Earlystar, ES Bowling, Mikis and Revolver looking quite variable.

Pearce Seeds, Rosedown, Dorset. This is an intermediate, east facing and slightly exposed site. Plots were drilled at 45,000 seeds per acre on May 4 using varieties from varying maturity classes and breeders. Commenting on the early vigour progress on June 18, Robert Baker, Maize Trials Officer from Pearce Seeds confirmed that there was quite a bit of purpling with a number of varieties used this year - a clear stress symptom - and it has only been within the last two to three days that their plots have started to respond to the warmer weather and "greened up". All varieties within the Advanta block were looking good with Beacon just having the edge. Fergus (as always at this time of year) was also good, as was Ixxis - a new RAGT variety and Klifton - a new variety from KWS, but perhaps the variety that was just a "cigarette paper" ahead of Beacon was Agassi - a new variety from Maisador.

Weed Control. With a much wider range than usual in sowing dates this year (mid April - mid June), farmers should be taking great care toward weed control in their crops with Graham Ragg of Mole Valley Farmers saying that close monitoring is essential as heavy May rainfall has encouraged secondary growth and these new flushes of weed must be acted upon before the crop gets too big and, on a personal note, I would also make the same comments for fodder beet growers.

In addition to weed problems this year, there does seem to be unprecedented levels of attacks from rooks and crows - even with dressed seed, so I would suggest that a quick check on your crops of maize would not be a bad idea - especially the later drilled ones - and that's a check to see if you still have a crop!

During the course of July, a lot of you will be sowing stubble turnips. Some will follow winter barley and maybe some will follow old grassland or a clapped out ley. Either way, please be aware of flea beetle and their ability to totally decimate brassica crops so consider seed that has been dressed to help combat flea beetle attacks, e.g., Combicoat.

And finally: Some of you may remember that last month, I mentioned the fact that weather forecasters had indicated the possibility of another dry summer this year and I then went on to suggest a few ideas to ensure that the clamps were filled for the coming winter and that nothing should go hungry.

My, how things can change inside a month, but beware, things can easily change back again. I am making no predictions whatsoever, merely to suggest that where nature and the weather are concerned - assume that they are both femail and expect the "unexpected." That way, when things don't go the way that you've planned, you won't be entirely disappointed - will you?