Peebleshire Soil & Nutrient Network – third meeting event summary

The Value of Effective Nutrient Budgeting 

The third meeting of the Peeblesshire soil & nutrient network farm was held at Wormiston Farm, Peebles & focused on the final nutrient budget review and the savings generated;  silage analysis and the relationship to nutrient budgeting, as well as soil health & structure and methods of how to assess these.  Those attending were shown the importance of analysing manures and slurries, in addition to soil analysis, in order to create an accurate nutrient budgeting plan suited to the farm.

Craig Bothwell demonstrated how the nutrient applications had been altered to suit the soil anaylsis and ultimately made savings through efficient nutrient budgeting.

Chris McDonald gave a short presentation on silage analysis and how crop offtake links into the nutrient budgeting. The key message here was not to underestimate the quantity of potash offtake in silage making.  

Paul Hargreaves then held a practical demonstration of the VESS guide to assess soil structure highlighted the negative effect compacted soil structure has on a crop through low nutrient uptake, poor drainage and crop yield. The visual assessment allows a simple method for assessing potential damage and consequential corrective management.

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Read presentations from this event here and handouts available on the day are available to download below.  A summary from the previous Peebleshire SNN meeting is available to read here.