Rule 1b from the Farming Rules for Water, requires soils to be tested at least every 5 years on cultivated land. Defra’s definition of cultivated land, is land that you’ve ploughed, sowed or harvested at least once in the last year, and / or land that has received fertiliser at least once within the previous 3 years.
With fertiliser prices at record highs, testing your soils is more important now than ever to determine what is already available to the crop, with the balance then needed for the crop requirement from a bag. The results you receive will show available nutrient rather than total, so you can adjust your fertiliser plan accordingly.
As part of a nutrient management plan, it is imperative to take into consideration the nutrient contribution from manures. A large proportion of your P and K requirement, which you will be able to calculate from your test results, could be accounted for within the manures applied with no need for artificial ‘top up’.
When soil testing, timing is key. Wait for six months after lime or fertiliser applications (except Nitrogen fertiliser), and six weeks after any manure applications to make sure there is no influence on your soil test results. With this in mind, a lot of farmers find it most convenient to have their fields tested at the end of summer – beginning of autumn.
With the benefit of organic materials becoming more apparent due to the fertiliser pricing crisis, there will be more exports / imports of manures between farms. This year, during inspections we have personally attended, the request for confirmation of receipt of manures on farms has been a key topic. Farmers who have exported manures from their holding have been expected to produce, on request, a document signed by the receiving party stating they have taken ‘x’ amount of manure on ‘x’ date. Please make sure if you do export any manures from your holding, that you are getting a ‘receipt’ of this.
If you would like any further advice, please do not hesitate to get in touch on 01981 590514.
