What next for wet winter soils?
Grassland consultant, Dr George Fisher, offers some timely advice to help speed up grass growth on waterlogged soils.
As we go to press with KnowHow, we’d like to think we can look forward to an early and straightforward start to the silage-making season.
But for many, the wet winter is continuing with a vengeance and much of the UK’s grass and forage growing ground remains cold and waterlogged in early spring.
And cold, wet soils inevitably result in slow grass growth, which in turn can mean a lighter or later first cut. The latter will hit forage energy and protein and increase its fibre, potentially having an impact on feeding right through next winter.
So, measures which are taken now to mitigate these effects can have a truly worthwhile effect.
Grassland consultant, Dr George Fisher says, these measures begin with aeration.
“The main problem we’ve had over winter is compaction right at the top of the soil profile,” he explains. “Soils which are capped in this way are cold and wet; their general health and particularly their microbiology will be compromised by the resulting anaerobic conditions; and the inevitable result will be reduced grass growth and increased surface run-off, both of which are costly to the farm finances and the environment.”
Inspection pits
But before hitching up the aerator, he says: “Get out with a spade and dig inspection pits.
“This will show you where the compaction is and wheretoconcentrateyouraeration.Evenin waterlogged soils where there’s capping, you may find it’s quite dry underneath. This means it’s worth aerating, as the field has capacity to hold more.
“But if it’s saturated right through its profile, there’s no point – aerating could even make things worse,” he says. “In this case, I’d advise growers to wait for the natural drainage to do its work, and potentially come back later.”
Spike aerator
Once the areas to be aerated have been identified, he advises: “Get out with a spike aerator as early as you can travel, and make sure the spikes penetrate the soil to below the compacted layer. This is important, as you want to encourage drainage through the soil profile and if the spikes don’t get below the compaction, then they’ll just create pockets where water will sit.
“These aerators were more popular 10 or 15 years ago, but could do a good job this spring,” he adds. “They may not have an instant effect on plant growth, but they will allow air into capped soils.”
Taking these early-season measures should get grass growth off to a better and earlier start in these wet conditions.
"Climate change requires a change of mindset."
Banish bare winter soils
However, he says next season, where possible, we should prepare further ahead. This means considering options for over-wintering crops to banish bare winter soils. Many practices can achieve this, including some of the winter-cropping options discussed by Dr Dave Davies or practised by the Bean family in Northumberland.
“Winter ground-cover will cut run-off and compaction; it will benefit soil; increase the farm’s resilience and sustainability; and improve its prospects for long-term survival,” he says.
“Climate change requires a change of mindset,” he adds. “We were warned by the Met Office over 10 years ago of wetter, milder winters and a change in our behaviour needs to follow suit.”
You may also be interested in
Managing wet weather soils
Autumn is a time to assess soil condition, according to grassland consultant, Dr George Fisher. He asks how your soils have coped with some wet summer months and suggests remedial action which will improve crop performance next year.
Learn more
Home-grown feeds Seek and Sell cuts out the middleman to keep costs down
We regularly meet farmers who are keen to introduce crimped cereals or more sustainable protein crops into their feed but are unable to do so due to factors beyond their control, such as their location, soil quality, or stocking density. We also have customers who crimp sufficient stocks to meet their needs but would happily produce more if a ready market was available.
Learn more
Feed … The Soil Crop Rumen
The word ‘efficiency’ has been used in livestock production for many decades, but it’s increasingly regarded as the elixir to solve all ills. But what does ‘efficiency’ mean and can it really be the solution to reducing costs of production, protecting the environment and reducing our dreaded carbon use and emissions?
Learn moreRelated products
FarmTubes
- 7-layer technology
- UV-stabilized for up to 18 months
- Stretch strip for optimal filling
O2 Barrier 2 in 1
- 40% lighter than conventional clamp sheeting
- Reduced fermentation losses
- Reduced recycling and disposal costs