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Download PDF Preparing land for potato planting will be tricky in many areas given the wet winter. CPM gets some timely advice and considers how soil resilience can be improved. Deep cultivations to 30cm or more are de-structuring soils. By Paul Spackman With the spring planting period approaching, many growers, especially those in areas worst affected by heavy winter rainfall, may well be wondering how land can be prepared in time. This year more than ever, patience will be vital when it comes to spring cultivations, says Lincolnshire-based Hutchinsons agronomist, Will Sharpe. “Working any soil when it is too wet is likely to create problems, notably compaction, that will restrict crop growth and could take years to rectify.” He says that despite the scenes of waterlogged and flooded fields over winter, soils in many areas are comparatively dry deeper in the profile (15-30 cm), with problems more linked to the surface layer. “We’ve seen a lot of surface capping in the top 2.5-5cm, which has stopped water infiltrating properly, but dig down to 15-30cm and soil is comparatively dry.” He therefore cautions against going straight in with the subsoiler at 35-40cm deep to relieve surface waterlogging, as this is likely…
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