With another dry season now coming to a close, it is worth remembering the lessons from previous years where extremes may have implications for averages that are usually employed. This specifically relates to nutrient offtakes at harvest. With an anticipated higher demand for straw this year, paying attention to the nutrient value of this is important.

With soil temperatures increasing and moisture looming (or already arrived) thoughts are turning to maize drilling. To produce a good crop, maize plants need to grow very rapidly once they have germinated. They will do this if the soil moisture and structure are good, the temperature is warm and nutrition is adequate. Maize can easily […]

For those who got caught out in the autumn, or who have chosen to hold back on phosphate and potash applications due to weather, crop prospects, price or a combination of any of these, it is not too late to benefit from their application this spring. Granted conditions may still need to improve somewhat to […]

Inadequate potassium management jeopardises food security and freshwater ecosystem health. Potassium, alongside nitrogen and phosphorus, is a vital nutrient for plant growth and will be fundamental to achieving the rapid rises in crop yield necessary to sustain a growing world population.

Although there appears to be something of a north south divide this year, most places in the UK have experienced higher than average rainfall, meaning that crops may not be looking as good as planned.

Establishment is the most critical period in any annual crops life-cycle, as it is the time when the yield potential is set. All challenges the crop faces during the season serves to reduce the final yield from this potential

With cereal harvests finished, or drawing to a close for another year, consideration should be given to the input decisions made during the year before it is too far in the memory and blurs into all the rest!

With combinable crop harvest fast approaching (or already underway for some areas) it may be worth considering options for monitoring success or limitations with input decisions and soil management practices to close the feedback loop.

Whether grown for animal silage, AD feedstock or grain, appropriate fertilisation is vital to the success of the maize crop because it greatly influences not only the yield of the crop and its nutritional content but also growing costs.

For those who chose to hold off applying potash in the autumn, the recent dry weather and good field conditions may prove an opportunity to catch up on any missed applications.