Land trafficability: Rain and wet continue to prevent work at farm level. Met data shows that most areas, except the Dublin region, received around 200% or more of normal rainfall in the past week.

However, regions differ greatly and there has been some ploughing done in the past week or so on dry land. But there has been little or no other activity on land recently. The research advice on planting date for beans now puts early March as an optimum planting period, so there is no need to rush into poor conditions to get seed planted.

Research has also shown considerable benefit from the placement of phosphate close to the seed when drilling beans, with greater benefit on lower-fertility sites.

Where there is a lot of volunteer growth on stubbles, you need to consider whether you will burn this off in advance of cultivation or ploughing, or whether you hope to plough it down. Good ploughing may be adequate if you can bury all the green crop vegetation – if not, spray.

Crops in trouble: While many growers state that winter crops are in good condition, given the extreme wet of recent months, there are also many crops that have suffered serious damage. These are obviously worse where river flooding took place, but crops are also under pressure from the high rainfall levels alone. Crops in the south and northwest are worst affected, but there is also likely to be significant damage in other pockets also.

Decisions about replanting, especially patches in fields, should be made in light of the additional costs involved and the current direction of grain prices. If you have to deal with a green barley price close to €110/t there is little joy in replanting patches. Depending on their size and the potential of the land, these areas may be best abandoned, except for weed control.

Nitrogen and sulphur: Winter rape needs nitrogen early, followed by winter barley. Air temperatures are frequently above normal and soil temperatures were about one degree above normal last week. This means that plants are being forced to grow, so nutrients are required.

The amount of first N on rape should be influenced by canopy size. Full canopies may only require 60-90 kgN/ha, while backward or grazed crops will need up to 140 kgN/ha to produce adequate canopy. All crops will require some N and sulphur. Sulphur can be applied up front using a high S product, or it can be supplied a little and often, using low-S nitrogen fertilisers.

Target 30-50kg S/ha for rape on worn ground, depending on field history, and 15-20kg S/ha on cereals. A bit more S might be considered later, as this element is easily leached.

If you can get out on land, consider a small amount of N (10-15kgN/ha) on winter barley to keep the crop ticking over when the risk of loss remains high. But you will need to have up to 60kgN/ha once growth is more definite.