Scotland and moving South
Cereals crops on the whole are looking very healthy on the Scottish borders and Northumberland. Wheats are a good straw height with good grain yield potential and Winter barley harvesting has started in the borders. Despite last weeks sporadic downpours, the crops are holding up well coming into the harvesting period.
Potatoes are coming on nicely with both seed and ware crops progressing well. Earlier this spring saw Scottish potato planting going in successfully with adequate soil moisture available; a stark contrast to further south into England. Weed pressures are currently low in this part of the country.
North Yorkshire
One thing I can say and everyone else has been talking about recently is that it is dry, so very dry.
Irrigators are working overtime in this area especially on potatoes which is vital for maintaining a healthy crop and managing common scab. Lack of water can severely impact yield.
Driving around my local area you can see that recent searing temperatures have impacted the height of cereals, with reports on bolting wheat ears and short crops, potentially impacting the amount of straw available for bedding down animals in the winter.
Winter barley is currently being harvested at the moment and peas were harvested over two weeks ago in South Yorkshire.
Oilseed rape has also recently been sprayed off in readiness for harvesting.