Growing season is now well under way, but we thought we’d share this quick reflection from Robert Milne at Ballymorgan on his sowing this year.

“On Monday 21^st March we planted our fields for Waterford Whisky. The second week of March had been wet and windy and the soils were saturated. The following week started dull and misty with little drying but by mid-week the weather had brightened. On St Patrick’s Day local shops were doing a good trade in ice cream cones! Soils were drying well and it was decided to sow on Monday.

The fields had been ploughed in January. Soils samples taken in the autumn showed the ph below 6.5 so lime was applied pre ploughing. A press was pulled behind the plough to firm the ground. This left the seed bed in excellent condition. The biggest rocks were removed so as not to damage machinery. 

This year’s variety,  ‘Laureate’, had a thousand grain weight of 51 . To get a plant count of 300 per square meter at a strike rate of 85%, a seeding rate of 180 was required. The correct rate of Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potash was calculated from the soil samples. Phosphate and Potassium are not very soluble and so are best applied near the seed with a combine drill. Further Nitrogen will be applied just after the crop has emerged and will percolate to the roots with rain.

We use a Vaderstad 300c to sow our crops. It cultivates, plants and consolidates. The seed needs air but to still be in close contact with fine soil particles for the roots to be able to grow and absorb moisture and minerals. It is also important that the covering is not too fine so that it would cap and prevent the shoots emerging. 

Overall we are very happy with the job. Tuas maith leath na hoibre. A good start is half the work done. Next task is to roll the fields to press stones back into the soil so the combine won’t pick them up.” 

Cheers Robert. Good luck to all of our growers with their 2022 vintage.