I have never carried out as much soil sampling as I have this season, but with Phosphate and Potash at their current high prices it is easy to see why. Remember the soil is like a bank, you cannot keep making withdrawals without paying something in! Base your decisions on known facts and one of these is the current soil nutrient status.

Soil conditions are also dictating rotational changes and drilling methods. There is little doubt that one of the main victims will be the reduction in the winter oil seed rape acreage. What rape we have drilled! Broadcast! mauled in! is fighting a valiant battle against slugs and flea beetle. Flea beetle is rampant and a review of what treatments are working looks certain. Relying on inexpensive applications of pyretheroids appears not to be defeating the pest. Where possible, nitrogen will be applied to bribe some extra autumn growth. The vast arrays of min till establishment systems for rape have one thing in common, cereal volunteers! This year it will be even more important to strike early and remove these to eliminate competition.

No cereals will be drilled early when compared to previous years and this we hope will reduce the grass weed risk.  However, known blackgrass areas will receive a pre-emergence spray based on flufenacet.