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Know How / Establishment

Successful crop establishment is crucial to achieving high yields and controlling costs and ensuring the profitability of your business. See the latest thinking this season on cereals, oilseed rape, potato and sugar beet establishment, drilling and seed-bed preparation.

Case studies

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DRILLING

2 farms' autumn drilling plans after last year's wet weather

As the impact of last season’s challenging growing season remains firmly in farmers minds. Farmers Weekly catches up with three farmers to find out about their plans for this season’s…

ESTABLISHMENT

Late-drilled oilseed rape escapes high flea beetle pressure 

Hampshire oilseed rape grower David Northway is drilling his crop later than many in September and seeing yields touch 4t/ha with no crop failures from pest attacks in the past…

OILSEED RAPE

Dorset grower gains from six-point oilseed rape plan

Dorset farmer David Thompson’s six-point plan for oilseed rape establishment has led to near-4t/ha yields over the last five years, and will allow him to qualify for £200/ha of environmental…

SOILS

Notts Monitor Farm sees benefits of reduced cultivations

Reduced labour and machinery costs and more resilient soils are some of the benefits being seen since reducing cultivations at Manor Farm, near Bingham in Nottinghamshire. The Fisher family have…

DRILLING

Spring drilling: 3 farmers battle to get crops established

Wet weather is causing havoc with spring drilling. Some farmers have nearly finished while others are yet to begin, as yield potential falls with each delayed day. Farmers Weekly‘s deputy…

ESTABLISHMENT

Drill change improves cereal crop resilience

Spring barley was the last crop to be fully drilled with the 3m Mzuri Pro-till drill and despite the tricky spring, it yielded nearly 8t/ha last summer.  Neil White believes…

Practical advice

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DRILLING

7 steps for late drilling wheat success

Farmers with winter wheat still to drill this autumn need to be patient and do all they can to ensure crop establishment and soil health are not compromised following recent…

ARABLE

How SFI grassy corners and blocks can work most effectively

Grassy corners and blocks are perhaps potentially one of simplest of all the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) options to implement, but, as ever, to deliver the maximum benefit for the…

DRILLING

What to consider if tempted to drill winter wheat early

Winter wheat growers may be tempted to establish crops earlier this autumn following last season’s washout conditions, but experienced agronomists and crop consultants are reminding farmers of the potential risks…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How to companion crop successfully in winter wheat

Companion cropping is an emerging practice that is recognised in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) with an action that attracts a payment of £55/ha. In its most common form, it…

OILSEED RAPE

Cereals 2024: Why September drilled OSR can boost yield

Drilling oilseed rape from the second week of September rather than the typical August sowing window could be a strategic move for growers to boost yield potential. Latest research from…

SEED-BED PREPARATION

Pointers on rescuing waterlogged soils for spring barley

The UK spring barley area is predicted to rise 13% this season, and growers are advised to adapt cultivation and drilling methods to resurrect waterlogged soils. Following the wet winter…

Insights

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MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

How farmers can benefit from growing hemp market

Fast growing with break crop suitability, hemp can produce high-value fibres in a low-input system, with low nitrogen requirement, and minimal chemicals. But one of industrial hemp’s major downfalls is…

ESTABLISHMENT

Cereal seed treatments for farmers to consider this autumn

Seed treatments have many roles, which include fungicide dressings, nutritional enhancers, and in more recent years, the arrival of biological treatments have been added to some agronomy plans. So as…

DRILLING

Which IPM options are best to manage CSFB?

With no single chemical or cultural approach that reliably manages cabbage stem flea beetle numbers, control requires a combination of techniques to suppress populations of the pest. But with dozens…

DRILLING

3 risks to assess before drilling winter wheat early

Winter wheat growers are being advised to think hard about three heightened risks before going for early drilling this autumn – namely blackgrass, aphid-borne disease, and septoria. After a very…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Why slug pressure is intensifying and what farmers can do

A changing climate and evolving farming systems could lead to more frequent slug population explosions, and growers must be alert and ready to react. It is widely accepted that UK…

OILSEED RAPE

Should growers persevere with OSR despite challenges?

The AHDB has estimated a near 30% drop in the UK oilseed rape area compared to 2023, making it the UK’s smallest crop for 40 years – at 280,000ha. With…

ESTABLISHMENT

Why early OSR drilling may reduce yields by up to 1.5t/ha

The trend for milder winters across north-west Europe may mean UK oilseed rape growers need to consider drilling later to maximise rapeseed yields. A major breeder is investigating whether late…

ARABLE

Seed sales show heavy reliance on a limited number of varieties

After a testing season and difficult harvest, growers are sticking to a narrow range of varieties for the new cropping year. Farmers Weekly finds out what’s filling the drills. See…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Survey gives pointers on how to successfully grow OSR

An average 85% of oilseed rape crops are predicted to reach harvest, but some farmers, especially in East Anglia, are feeling the pain. Although the average is down on last…

DRILLING

Direct-drilling: Main findings from major five-year trial

Farming on heavy land in Leicestershire, Joe Stanley was skeptical that reducing cultivations by adopting a direct-drilling system would increase farm profitability and improve the environment. But after seeing the…

COVER CROPS

Trial shows how to establish a good cover crop before harvest

Establishing a good cover crop stand can be difficult, as sowing often coincides with the busy harvest period along with seed-beds being too dry. One solution could be to establish…

OILSEED RAPE

Why OSR growers are optimistic despite high-cost climate

Oilseed rape growers are optimistic about the crop's on-farm performance, despite the higher growing costs and market volatility caused by recent world events. Research carried out by Farmers Weekly in…