A Suffolk grower’s approach to soil management and cultivation has evolved significantly in recent years, driven largely by cost-saving measures and a commitment to improving soil health and soil sustainability.

LW Rolph and Son farms 450ha of land near Woodbridge in Suffolk. Grove Farm is in an area with a diverse range of soil types, including sandy loam and heavier clay loam.

See also: Zero-till v plough: Differences in soil structure and carbon

Working farm manager Harry Hudson says: “We previously used a heavy cultivation system, but we’ve moved to a less intensive approach with a focus on reduced soil movement to improve soil health and reduce costs.”

Harry Hudson © Harry Hudson

New low disturbance system

In 2022, the farm switched to a low-disturbance subsoiler system.

Before cultivation, they use a straw rake where necessary to distribute the trash evenly and improve the seed-bed’s consistency, stimulate weed and volunteer germination for pre-harvest glyphosate, and reduce slug pressure.

Harry says the Cousins Patriot subsoiler was chosen for its 600mm leg spacing, which lifts and moves enough soil in the correct conditions.

In high trash situations, chopped straw is first worked with the straw rake, followed by the Patriot with hydraulic disks, and finally the Vaderstad Rexius twin to create a fine consistent seed-bed.

“If I don’t feel the need to use the discs, we can easily lift them out the way and move less soil,” says Harry.

Where trash is low and soil conditions are good, the Patriot is used without the discs. This often removes the need for further passes and allows him to drill direct into stubble.

Although the change in the system was largely driven by cost and efficiency, Harry noted some other benefits.

“By reducing our cultivations, we’ve noticed the improvements to soil health along with improved soil structure.

“The improved soil structure has increased efficiency in the spring, as we can travel on fields a little earlier than before,” he says.

Harry had a genuine interest in improving the soil health, sustainability within the soil and the farm’s profitability by reducing costs and efficiency, which is what led to the new system.

The switch was also influenced by a grant from Defra’s Farming Equipment and Technology Fund, which helped fund a new drill and straw rake.

However, Harry remains unsure about committing fully to minimum tillage and direct drilling across all the fields, as he believes in a more hybrid approach that allows for flexibility depending on soil conditions, crop type and weed control.

Harry explains: “We’ve used minimum tillage techniques while preparing sugar beet land, but we find it suits specific soil types more than others. We still mainly plough land coming for sugar beet in the autumn predrilling.”

Harry also believes that rotational ploughing continues to play a valuable role in weed control, particularly when combined with delayed autumn drilling and thoughtful crop rotation.

© Harry Hudson

Since the new system was adopted there has been no dramatic difference in the quality of the crop. However, Harry does think direct drilling is suited best to earlier drilling.

Fields that haven’t been straw raked are seeing a higher risk of slug damage due to the increased levels of unmoved trash.

“We are still learning how best to use the machinery in the different parts of the rotation and our land,” says Harry.

Future farm strategy

For 2026, Harry plans to grow some different wheat varieties: Vibe to focus on early establishment, and Redwald which can be drilled later and should help with blackgrass control.

Previously, the farm has used sugar beet, spring barley and spring beans as a break crop to help blackgrass control.

However, due to unpredictable bean yields in recent springs, he plans to grow spring beans in future only when they are rotationally necessary.

Overall, Harry is happy with the outcomes since moving to reduced cultivations and is interested in incorporating cover cropping and a controlled traffic farming system, with the aim of further improving soil health and increasing yields.