After an intensely wet year, when soil repair is essential, the importance of seed health and soil strategies takes on a heightened significance, setting the foundation for the next growing season.
The excessive moisture from the previous year may have caused several challenges, such as soil compaction, erosion and nutrient depletion. Addressing these issues is crucial to restoring soil health, for residual herbicide efficacy and ensuring future cropping success.
Here is our advice on strategies to help repair soils and select seeds ahead of planting, and how to build more resilient crops from the word go – because this autumn, who knows what weather we could be in for.
Key topics
- Soil strategies for rehabilitation
- Seed strategies for restoration and resilience
- Seeding resilience with Newton biostimulant seed treatment
Soil strategies for rehabilitation
Soil structure repair after a wet year is often crucial due to soil compaction which restricts root growth and reduces water infiltration. This has implications for the establishment of the next crop and also pre-emergence weed control, where water infiltration is crucial for moving residual herbicides down to the weed germination zone (sub 5cm) and for uptake into weeds.
Ahead of drilling, deep tillage (where appropriate) and practices such as adding organic matter and planting cover crops that enhance soil porosity are key to restore soil structure ahead of planting the next crop.
Nutrient management plans will need revisiting as nutrients are likely to have leached away, leaving the soil deficient. Test soils to determine nutrient levels and consider organic and inorganic fertiliser to replenish lost nutrients. Additionally incorporating crop residues after harvest and compost, can help restore nutrient levels.
Organic matter restoration is likely to be crucial in fields that were very wet to help restore soil fertility and structure. Again, incorporating crop residues, compost or green manures will help to increase organic content. Deep rooting covers are also an excellent way of building organic matter, all helping to improve soil moisture retention, supports beneficial soil organisms and enhances overall soil health.
Seed strategies for restoration and resilience
Restoration
Consider cover crops to help repair and rejuvenate the soil. Covers like legumes, grasses and clover will help build soil structure, enhance organic matter and fix nitrogen in the soil.
Selecting to sow deep-rooted plants, such as radish, can help break up compacted soil layers. These roots penetrate deep into the soil, improving aeration and water infiltration.
Nitrogen-fixing plants could be a good option where soil nutrients, especially nitrogen, have been depleted. Planting nitrogen-fixing plants such as clover or beans can help naturally replenish the soil’s nitrogen levels, reducing the requirement for synthetic fertiliser.
Soil-building plants such as buckwheat or rye, are excellent for building soil organic matter. As these plants decompose, they contribute to the formation of humus, improving soil fertility and structure.
Resilience
Selecting big, bold and healthy seeds, will help ensure strong germination and early growth to get crops off to the best start. If we do end up with a wet autumn again, high quality seed that gets up and away quick smart, is the best starting point for a resilient plant.
Choose seeds with good disease resistance as wetter conditions can foster these threats. With the milder winters, and lack of juvenile resistance, selecting varieties with good resistance to Septoria, yellow rust (in the case of wheat) is a good idea.
Test home-saved seed for germination and disease to avoid heavy yield losses from seed and soil borne fungal diseases. This is particularly important after a wet year and also if you are considering moving away from fungicidal seed treatments.
Treating seed with Newton biostimulant seed treatment will help enhance the crop seed’s ability to withstand stress during crop establishment and improve overall plant health.
Seeding resilience with Newton biostimulant seed treatment
Our Newton biostimulant seed treatment is a valuable and cost effective insurance against potentially another year of adverse establishment conditions. Newton nurtures crops form their earliest stages, ensuring robust growth, improved resilience and maximum yields comes harvest.
Why Newton?
Speeds up germination – Seeds that germinate quickly are advantageous in wet soils, where prolonged exposure to moisture can lead to rot. Fast germinating seeds can establish before excess water damage.
Stimulates exceptional root growth – In wet conditions, seeds that develop strong, deep root systems are crucial. They can access nutrients and oxygen more efficiently, even in compacted or waterlogged soils.
Read Andy’s experience from using Newton in a challenging year
