Farming & Commercial Growers

A soil test is a scientific way to measure the fertility of your soil. It will indicate if you need to fix any plant nutrient issues. A soil test analysis shows which nutrients your soil is lacking but also which are already present - knowing this is important as a soil too rich in nutrients can actually hamper growth. This...

Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) has beautiful gold flowers and is a valuable wildflower, but it is also famous for its ability to reduce the vigour of grass. The plant operates as a partial parasite on grasses, it will lock its roots onto the roots of grasses, once contact is made the yellow rattle draws water and nutrients from them, suppressing...

The terms ‘Rye’ and ‘Ryegrass’ can be confusing. They both refer to plants which belong to the grasses (Poaceae family) and their uses overlap. However, they are not the same species. Rye (Secale cereale) is a cereal grain closely related to wheat and barley. It is grown for grain that produces deep flavourful breads but also as a forage and...

Det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder a Swedish saying that translates as Níl aon droch aimsir ann, ach droch éadaí - There is no bad weather, only bad clothing.  A nice smug saying that in Ireland translates to making sure you have quality rain gear! Years of unpleasant experiences all come down to making sure rain kit –...

We all depend on the survival of bees (and other pollinators) Nearly 90% of the world’s wild flowering plant species depend entirely on animal pollination, along with more than 75% of the world’s food crops. Not only do pollinators contribute directly to food security, but they are key to conserving biodiversity. What can I do to help? To celebrate World...