A turn for the better: How quickly things turn. I saw a lot of fresh ploughing over the weekend, with most of it done in good conditions. I also saw a bit of bad ploughing, which just adds to the cost of producing a seedbed. Some stubble fields also had water sitting on top as a reminder that they will take longer before they can be worked.

Once you get into the second half of March it is better to wait for good planting conditions. From here on we hope that crops will be growing at full pace post emergence, so they need to be well nourished and protected. Combine drilling remains a benefit, especially on lower fertility fields and on colder soils.

With daytime temperatures now supporting growth it is essential to have fertiliser out on winter crops, even if it means avoiding a wet spot. Crops already show the benefit of what was applied in recent weeks.

Fertiliser: Make sure you are applying adequate P and K based on your soil test results for the crop to be sown. An eight tonne per hectare spring barley crop will remove 30kgP/ha plus 91kgK/ha (straw removed) before you apply anything additional to help build fertility. Many fields are not getting this level of fertiliser input, which adds to the benefit from combine drilling. An 11t/ha winter wheat or barley crop will take off 42kgP/ha plus 108kgK/ha in straw plus grain. Lime remains the most important input. If pH is low and the crop is already sown, apply granular lime. Regardless of P and K, all winter crops now need some nitrogen. This could be between 60 and 140kgN/ha on winter rape (depending on canopy), about 60-70kgN/ha on winter barley, while 30-50kgN/ha will suffice on wheat or oats. Rates might be reduced slightly where organic manures were incorporated last backend.

Sulphur is important on worn land that has not received frequent manure or compost applications. This can be applied in single or multiple applications to put on over 30kgS/ha on rape and over 20kgS/ha on winter cereals.

Planting: Try and get beans planted first, then spring wheat and then oats and malting barley. Big grain size last harvest leaves big seeds for planting, and this adds to the weight of seed needed to give target seed and plant numbers. Talk to your supplier re the TGW of the seed you are buying. Combine drill fertiliser where possible or, at a minimum, incorporate it into the seedbed.

Disease control: With visible growth now underway in winter barley it is important that the new foliage generated is protected from disease. In areas where three sprays are the norm, the first spray needs to go on at mid tillering to help protect old and new foliage, so as to build nutrient storage capacity within the canopy for grain fill. Product options include Bontima, Ceriax, Siltra or a triazole/strobilurin mix.