Dearth of oilseed rape sown this autumn?

[Amari]

Walked round the parish this morning and disappointed to find many fewer fields sown with OSR, the nearest to my apiary is 600m away (hitherto usually 200m). In the 12 years we've lived here there has been an almost invariable crop rotation of OSR/cereal/sugar beet. Today I found several fields sown with cereal (probably winter wheat), a repeat of the 2013 crop. I can only hope for some spring-sown OSR - but this would be a first for this area.
How is it your way?

 

[pooh-bear]

Wouldn't hold your breath for any more OSR planting. Disastrous crop last year , big slug problems eating it and falling prices has pushed farmers into dropping this crop in favour of wheat.

 

[farbee]

May be a rather stupid question but how do you recognise rape plant at this time of year? What does it look like?

 

[bee ginnner]

its not a stupid question, the rape is a broad leaved plant and is a brassica so part of the cabbage family, the wheat/barley/oats etc are grasses and look very slim.
it wont always be rape but if its upto about 8 inches high at this time of year it will in most cases be rape.

 

[MuswellMetro]

totally surrounded by Rape this year, all planted early to avoid the 1st November EU ban on Neonicotinoids

It's very advanced, if we get a mild winter we will be in a flow before my bees in my out apairy are ready to collect it

 

[Amari]

Lucky you! Perhaps I'll come and squat in your apiary.

 

[Amari]

Slugs - and of course pigeons despite scarers of various sorts.

 

[masterBK]

Saw lots of fields of OSR in S Yorkshire yesterday.

 

[bee ginnner]

totally surrounded by Rape this year, all planted early to avoid the 1st November EU ban on Neonicotinoids

It's very advanced, if we get a mild winter we will be in a flow before my bees in my out apairy are ready to collect it

OSR is always planted early, usually as fast as it can be got in behind or even during combining.

 

[gavin]

Seem to be lots around my area of east-central Scotland. Maybe the farmers are catching up with it in their rotations after more than one difficult season. Plus the added incentive of no neonic seed dressings for the subsequent two seasons of course potentially making life more difficult then. Bring it on (the neonic soaked OSR that is)!

600m should be no bother for them. However a few alternative fields for them helps the honey harvest.

Sent from my BlackBerry 8520 using Tapatalk

 

[Amari]

600m should be no bother for them. However a few alternative fields for them helps the honey harvest.

I wonder how long it takes a bee, under average conditions, to fly 1200m?
=unproductive time, wings get worn to quicker etc….

 

[youngyoungs]

its not a stupid question, the rape is a broad leaved plant and is a brassica so part of the cabbage family, the wheat/barley/oats etc are grasses and look very slim.
it wont always be rape but if its upto about 8 inches high at this time of year it will in most cases be rape.

Now I know what to look for, the fields around me don't look like they've been planted with OSR

 

[TOBY-3652]

more than ever around here this year

 

[Davelin]

View attachment 9109

Looks like this at this time of year.

 

[einsteinagogo]

I thought I was surrounded last year by OSR 360 degress, but they've left a lot of fields this year set-aside, to plough early this year and plant with OSR, nearest to my apiary (garden) is 12ft! I was considering moving this hive, next year, but I think I will leave in place now! Very hard frost this am, in N. Yorkshire, good job, I put the insulation on the hive on Sat!

 

[YorkshireBees]

Saw lots of fields of OSR in S Yorkshire yesterday.

Usually a lot around me in South Yorkshire.

Haven't been round counting the fields yet buy have noticed a few that have the telltale growth!

 

[Cazza]

Plenty round here.
Cazza

 

[crazy_bull]

OSR seed sales slightly down year on year but not greatly, on the whole we expect a similar area of as was seen 2 years ago, remember farmers tend to 'block crop' areas within the rotation, so one area may be awash with OSR one year then not for a year or two then back in to OSR.

600mtrs is nothing to worry about, that's not even the width of most of the field round here, you'll be fine.

C B

 

[Chrisfnvs]

Lots of it round this way about six inches high and looking good so far, one of the bigger farms we go to has a five year rotation regime, all the farms we go to plan the same acreage of OSR as last year. Chris

 

[blackie]

100 acres growin here in front of my hives don't no if that's good or bad yet as not had hives on it b4