Grow linseed with Cope
A low-input, high-yield break crop with a premium market value.
Cope is offering buy-back contracts with free agronomy for linseed growers. Linseed is a low input, high yielding crop with a premium market value.
It’s increasingly employed as an alternative break crop to oilseed rape but has a much lower fertiliser requirement.
Linseed Contract Benefits
Premium Price
- Conventional – £50/tonne over open market conventional linseed price ex farm.
- Organic – £100/tonne over the open market organic linseed price ex farm.
* Premium price paid on sample approval for human consumption.
Free Agronomy
- The Cope linseed contract includes an hour’s free support from an expert agronomist experienced in Linseed growing.
Flexibility
- Conventional and organic winter and spring drilled varieties are available.
Low Cost
- Low input and high yielding.
Linseed agronomy
Key points
- Requires a warm moist seedbed 6+ degrees
- Keep a watch out for flax flea beetle, especially in the early stages of growth
- Appropriate use of fertilisers to encourage continuous green leaf area. This is key for building yield.
Seed rates and establishment
- 600-700 Seeds/m2 normally, but can go to 800 (depending on TGW and Variety)
- Optimum plant target is 400 plants/m2
- Fine seedbed with a good tilth
- Consolidation of soil to ensure good seed contact
- Establishment is key to a successful crop
- Ensure that the field selected has good drainage
Seed types
- pH 6.0 – 7.0 Optimum (pH 8.0 OK)
- Rotation: 4-5 years from OSR/peas/beans due to sclerotinia and flea beetle
- Most soils are appropriate, but avoid heavy clay
- Optimum drilling dates and depth:
- Spring: mid-March to mid-April @ 1.5-2cm depth
- Winter: Early-Late September @ 2-3cm depth