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Know How / Potatoes / Land preparation

Doing less to get is way forward with potatoes so careful cultivations are key to bed formation and preparation, as is accuracy of seed placement. See how to avoid compaction, reduce cultivations and bring costs down by following the latest advice on soil management and best cultivation practice.

Case studies

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POTATOES

Are no-till potatoes a pipe-dream?

Initial trials by Dyson Farming and Groundswell Agronomy are highlighting how difficult potato production with zero-tillage is likely to be commercially. But managing potato crops with reduced tillage, not zero tillage, while…

POTATOES

Video: Cornish potato grower battles costs and tricky planting

Costs are up more than 20% for Cornish salad potato grower Phil Rogers, in a showery planting season which has required further costly cultivations to ensure perfect seed-bed conditions. Two…

COVER CROPS

Cover crop raises potato yields and cuts costs in N Yorks

Growing cover crops before potatoes has reduced the number of cultivation passes and increased yields on a North Yorkshire farm. Cover crops were first grown ahead of potatoes on James…

COVER CROPS

4 growers' methods of effective cover crop destruction

Cover crops are becoming a mainstream option for growers, but their effective removal is critical to get good spring crop establishment. Farmers Weekly speaks to four growers from across the…

SOILS

Soil health key to premium crop grower's sustainability goals

Growing premium crops for local markets is helping Fife farmer Alan Steven optimise margins at Hillhead Farm, Kingsbarns, St Andrews. “Our location means haulage is a significant factor,” says Mr…

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…

Practical advice

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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…

COVER CROPS

Terminating cover crops - how to get it right

Timing is essential when terminating cover crops, go too soon and limit the amount of biomass accumulation and rooting, whereas leaving it too late on heavy land can lead to…

SOILS

The Soil Health Scorecard: What it is and how to use it

A new way to quantify soil health allows farmers to measure any improvements over time, as well as identify potential problems that could be holding yields back. Until now there…

SOILS

How to raise headland yields by cutting soil compaction risk

Yields on field headlands are typically 10% lower than the rest of the field, which is why farmers will benefit from measures that minimise the impact of increased traffic on…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Why cultural control is key to keeping potato blight at bay

The strains of blight that potato growers face in protecting their crops are becoming ever more aggressive, as only the fittest survive. A good example is the recent strain 36A2.…

SOILS

How growers can improve soil management decisions

A way of benchmarking soil health plus a tool aimed at helping farmers tackle soil compaction were among the highlights at Farmers Weekly’s Soils in Practice 2018 event. We take…

Insights

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SOILS

Expert advice on managing soils better

Soil health has risen to the top of the agenda for the agricultural industry over recent years. At the recent Farmers Weekly Soils in Practice event on a Lincolnshire farm,…

ARABLE

How 'conservation agriculture' can improve soil health

Adopting the fundamental principles of “conservation agriculture” has huge potential for nursing depleted arable soils back to health and correct implementation is key to its success. Conservation agriculture is defined…

SOILS

Arable Horizons: How science and tech could save our soils

Our soils are in trouble. That has been the clear and much-publicised message from the scientific community in recent years. But despite the gloomy headlines, Wilfred Otten of the Cranfield…

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…

Online resources from AHDB

Field drainage guide

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No-till fact sheet

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Soil assessment fact sheet

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Slug control fact sheet

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