Peter Knight has farmed 2,500 acres in Surrey for long enough to know that soil pH is never not an issue.
"Unless you're over chalk, you're going to have a pH issue to a greater or lesser degree," he says. "It's fairly pointless spending money on nitrogen, phosphate and potash if your pH is way out."
Analysis of more than 50,000 soil samples taken between June 2022 and May 2023 found that over half of arable soils were below the target pH of 6.7 recommended in AHDB's Nutrient Management Guide. Nearly one in four came in at pH 5.8 or lower.
For grassland systems, the consequences go further than most farmers realise. Dr Paul Newell-Price, Head of Soils and Nutrients at ADAS, says the impacts below pH 5.5 extend well beyond nutrient availability — into soil structure, root development and the species composition of the sward itself.
Industry data suggests arable land is being limed on average once every 12 years. The recommendation is once every three to five.
When Knight could no longer access the product he had relied on, he needed an alternative. What he found surprised him.
A new LimeX Focus guide, in partnership with Farmers Guardian, explores the science behind soil pH in grassland systems, hears from Knight on his experience, and includes practical guidance on soil sampling, application timing and what to consider when choosing a liming product.
