Farmers tend to try and drill maize early to get the crop off to a good start, encouraging them to grow away from pest and disease pressures, but heavy rainfall over the course of the current winter period has seen fields very waterlogged.

This could mean fields are unfit for early drilling, and with dry spells often occurring later in spring as seen over the last few years, it could pay to wait.

Bobby Sandeman, agronomist, and regional manager at Timac Agro UK, says there are methods that can be used to manage the impacts of variable weather conditions to help get crops off to the best start, regardless of environmental pressures.

“I’d strongly recommend that farmers make the most of farmyard manure (FYM) this year. But I’d also encourage them to use a starter fertiliser, which can help ensure maize establishes well, regardless of drilling date,” he says.

“With high fertiliser costs, we know that maximising FYM will play a key role in producing profitable crops, especially as it’s an excellent source of essential phosphate and potash, as well as a top up of nitrogen once the crop is away.”

Mr Sandeman explains that it is important for FYM to be well incorporated into soil prior to drilling, to ensure adequate breakdown and availability of nutrients, otherwise the plant may not be able to utilise it when the seed germinates.

“The plant needs an easily accessible source of nutrition from the beginning, so a microgranule starter fertiliser, such as Physiostart, which can be drilled directly with the seed, would give the plant ultra-proximity to essential soluble phosphorus and ammoniacal nitrogen from day one.”

Maize is a deep-rooting plant, so it needs to form a robust rooting system early on for maximum water and nutrient absorption.

“Last year a lot of growers panicked and tried to drill their maize early, but waterlogging jeopardised establishment and effective rooting systems because oxygen supply was limited and prevented carbon dioxide from diffusing away,” Mr Sandeman warns.

“A starter fertiliser acts as an insurance policy against variable weather conditions. Spring has become a tricky season to navigate, where we tend to experience both water logging and drought periods over the last few years, so it helps ensure the crop has what it needs as soon as it’s put into the ground.”

For further information or advice please visit: Physiostart - TIMAC AGRO UK or contact your local agronomist.