Crop nutrition and soil health technical update - August 2021
August marks not only the peak of the harvesting season but for some crops such as Oilseed Rape, it’s the time to prepare and plant for the next season. The post-harvest period also provides an ideal opportunity for soil sampling and general soil health assessment, allowing plans to be put in place for any additional cultivation requirements and addressing nutrient requirements for the next crop.
Oilseed Rape establishment
Rapid establishment is vital for the OSR crop to grow away from pest pressure as soon as possible, and to set out a strong root system and to maximise the usage of available moisture and nutrition. To aid this process there are various choices available to us, first the use of a starter fertiliser applied either before, during or immediately after drilling can give a vital early boost. 150 kgs Ha of our Phosphate plus provides a balanced delivery of key macro and micronutrients to aid every part of the early development process, and builds the crop’s natural defences. Foliar feeds such as Route (Zinc + Nitrogen) or Potentate AA (NPK + Micronutrients) can provide an additional boost to 3 or 4 leaf sized crop if they are struggling.
Soil sampling and testing
As we know, soil sampling for nutrients has always been a cornerstone for planning, and with the ever-increasing focus on this vital area in addition to our standards, we have enhanced our range of testing to accommodate this wider requirement and it is now possible to assess Organic Matter, Cation exchange, Texture, microbial activity and carbon content as well.
As a reminder: Standard soil test checks for P,K,Mg,Ph and SSolvita is a full spectrum soil health assessment which includes all Macro and Micronutrients, soil texture, microbial activity, CEC, O Matter, and a whole lot more. Active Carbon testing indicates soil carbon content, sequestration, and carbon cycling to establish any rising or falling trends.
Cover cropping
Andrew Stilwell - Bartholomews Agronomist
We have already gained a large amount of knowledge from our ongoing cover crop research programme, indicating some useful mixture options where certain objectives need to be met, whether it’s after testing, or if they are forming a part of your ongoing farming policy. If you are planting cover crops for the short, medium or long term, we would be pleased to discuss our findings so far with you. Cover cropping is the quickest way to rebuild organic matter, structure and general soil health, and we have options for all requirements.For further details on any of the above please contact your usual Bartholomew’s representative, the Fertiliser department on 01243 755606