When areas of the country suffer a very dry spell, such as spring 2017, farmers maybe concerned about seed germination.  To minimise the risk of crop failure, Ian Wilkinson (pictured), Managing Director of Cotswold Seeds, says that rolling is absolutely essential as it will ...

As with any other crop, getting the pH right for grass and clovers is vital with the optimum pH for most grasses around pH 6.0 and for red and white clovers a little higher at 6.5. If your soils are acidic then lime should be applied to make it more alkaline. Lime comes in various forms and ...

Many farmers are increasingly concerned about which forage crops to plant to withstand lack of rain.  However, for farmers on dry, neutral or alkaline soils lucerne could well be the answer. Once well established, this deep rooting legume is extremely drought resistant and produces yields of ...

If you are considering a new ley on dry or drought prone soil, then cocksfoot is the grass you should turn to. Considered by some to be unpalatable and coarse, others know it to be the only agricultural grass that reliably produces when sown on dry land which, when properly managed, makes an ...

To achieve the best possible results from short term, grass-based leys sown in the spring the leys need to be a mix containing fast growing annuals and short term species like westerwolds ryegrass, crimson and red clover and vetch.   Sow early in the Spring into a well ...