Adding bespoke liquid fertilisers, including liquid nitrogen, suspension and foliar products, to a north Lincolnshire arable farmer’s crop nutrition programme is having a positive impact on logistics and crop performance, while maintaining efficiency and scale.
G H Parker (North Cotes) Ltd is a 2000 ha cereal and root crop enterprise where quality soils support 800 ha of winter feed wheat, averaging 11.6 t/ha; up to 560 ha of winter oilseed rape; 320 ha of winter barley; 120 ha of vining peas; 120 ha of sugar beet and 100 ha of calabrese.
“We make most of our profit by being detailed with our simplicity – daft as that might sound,” says farm manager William Wrisdale. “In the last few years OMEX has played an increasingly important role in helping us develop our fertiliser regime. It’s positive impact has been felt in crop yields and quality as well as simplifying fertiliser management decisions.”
“A liquid (and solution) fertiliser programme is definitely better than a solid granular alternative for reasons such as application accuracy, environmental impact, storage and labour savings. It is also by far the cheapest way of providing nutrients to our crops,” he says.
“However, on 560 ha of light land some distance away from our main farm, we have had to deal with logistical challenges of getting product to the land cost effectively. It made more sense to employ the services of OMEX Agriculture who can bespoke mix and deliver liquid fertiliser direct to site. They offer greater flexibility and product availability in that they can mix bespoke products based on soil analysis.”
“Liquid fertiliser plays an essential role on the farm, from significantly reducing the level of storage needed on the farm, to being able to achieve a much more uniform application and wider working width. Environmental benefits are numerous too and we have 6m grass margins everywhere plus water courses,” he explains.
G H Parker (Northcotes Ltd) now applies OMEX suspension fertiliser to 100 ha of calabrese. The farm carries out it’s own soil testing every four years using NRM Laboratories, part of Cawood Scientific. The analysis results are passed on to OMEX who prepare a bespoke nutritional mix.
“OMEX deliver and use dedicated contractor Tom Dobbs to apply it’s suspension fertiliser prior to planting,” says Mr Wrisdale. “With OMEX having control of the whole process everything runs smoothly.”
Making further improvements to the nutritional options does not stop at liquid and suspension fertiliser for Mr Wrisdale. He believes that paying closer attention to detail and fine tuning fertiliser regimes by including foliar nutrition could play an increasingly important role going forward.
