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Know How / Potatoes / Establishment

Getting the potato crop up and meeting across the rows as quickly as possible is the aim for growers in most seasons, so that it overcomes any threats. Here you will find out how this can be achieved and what you need to consider with seed quality, starter fertilisers and pre-emergence weed control in those vital early weeks.

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POTATOES

Can maincrop potatoes be grown in a regenerative system?

North Yorkshire potato farmer James Pick is on a mission to future-proof production of one of the nation’s favourite carbohydrates – the potato – and believes regenerative farming practices hold…

POTATOES

Wet weather delays potato planting and risks yield loss

Wet weather has pushed potato planting more than two weeks behind schedule for many growers across the UK. We catch up with two farmers to find out how they are…

ESTABLISHMENT

How to grow potatoes using minimal tillage

Growing potatoes with excellent taste characteristics was the starting point for Jeroen Klompe’s eight-year journey to improve his soil, and his management of it within a potato rotation. Farming 368ha…

POTATOES

Video: Potato planting races ahead in rejigged farm rotation

Potato planting was racing ahead in south Somerset this month, after farm manager Ollie Blackburn rejigged his crop rotation to improve soil fertility and structure for his spuds. He hopes…

POTATOES

One-pass potato establishment cuts costs and improves yields

Trials by crop consultants Niab Cuf have revealed that intensive cultivations have no benefit on potato yields, tuber size or quality, marking it out as a process that farmers can…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How four arable farmers made their farms more resilient

Tough times are ahead after Brexit and having a more resilient cropping system will be the key to arable farms weathering the storms. Here we take a look at how four…

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POTATOES

Shallower potato cultivation depths recommended in wet season

Potato growers are advised to reduce cultivation depths this season to improve soil condition and work rates, as persistent rain stops play. With the optimum planting window narrowing, independent potato…

ESTABLISHMENT

4 tips for successful potato establishment this spring

Good establishment is critical in potatoes, setting the crop up for optimal yield for the chosen market. Norfolk-based Prime Agriculture potato agronomist Alistair Neill offers some tips on how growers…

SOILS

How to reduce soil compaction and optimise crop yields

Compacted soils can typically yield 10-20% lower than healthy soils, which is why growers could benefit from a range of measures to cut compaction risks and avoid costly yield losses.…

POTATOES

How to tackle weeds in spuds after linuron withdrawal

With just one season of use remaining for the widely used pre-emergence herbicide linuron, potato growers are being urged to trial new strategies to find what works best on their…

SOILS

Soil health survey kick-starts cover crop trials

Cover crops and applying manures can help growers cut the damage from the intensive cultivations often necessary when establishing potatoes. Building soil resilience through the rotation is essential, as farms…

ARABLE

How to kill slugs in spud crops after methiocarb loss

Adopting rotation-based control together with cultural approaches can help spud growers keep on top of slug populations despite restrictions on the use of some pellets. Last year’s removal of methiocarb…

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PLOUGHING AND CULTIVATION

How a new soil scoring tool picks the best cultivation option

A new crop establishment tool which assesses a range of soil management factors is set to help farmers identify whether a change in cultivation may benefit their soils. There is…

ARABLE

Video: Maintain potato yields and cut cultivation costs

An investigation into the best cultivation strategies for potato production has found that growers could make savings without affecting yields by cultivating shallower. AHDB-sponsored work by Niab CUF at a…

ARABLE

Building a case for no-till crop establishment

Whether at grower meetings, hashtagged on your Twitter feed or even featured on BBC’s Countryfile on a Sunday evening, “no-till” enthusiasts are certainly making a lot of noise. Global grain…