Understand the capabilities and limitations of the soil you are managing. Inspect soils routinely for loss of structure, signs of damage, capping and erosion. Identify and protect vulnerable soils prone to erosion and leaching. Ensure effective use of chemical and organic fertilisers by basing rates of application on soil analysis and identified crop needs. Sample and analyse soil, approximately every five years, and apply lime to achieve target pH for crop or grass growth. Maintain organic matter levels, where they are lower than desirable, by grass breaks, green manures or the addition of organic manures. Maintain soil structure and avoid over-working and compaction. Achieve rougher seedbeds if cropping allows, so as to reduce run-off, especially to withstand winter rainfall, and take account of the contour and slope of land in doing so. Establish good crop cover before winter as this will reduce losses of topsoil and nutrients. Correct deep soil compaction by carrying out subsoiling on suitable soils with satisfactory drainage. When irrigating, ensure water application is uniform and rates are not too high or droplets too large. This will avoid sealing the soil surface and minimise run-off and soil erosion. Alleviate compaction and rutting as soon as practical, after late harvested crops such as maize or potatoes to reduce run-off. Incorporate chopped straw evenly. Leave vegetated buffer strips adjacent to watercourses, wetlands and waterbodies to trap sediment. Control livestock access to ditches and watercourses so as to allow natural vegetation time to recover. Carefully plan the movement and feeding of livestock on your farm. The inappropriate location of tracks or ring feeders can lead to significant soil erosion. Divert track run-off to buffer strips or vegetated areas to remove sediment. | Apply inorganic fertilisers or organic manures without taking account of soil nutrient status and crop requirements. Allow soils to become contaminated with PTEs. Allow land drainage systems to lose their efficiency. Leave soil fallow where there is a risk of flooding or soil erosion. Traffic, cultivate or graze land when soil moisture conditions are wetter than field capacity (i.e. when the soil is not firm) as this will lead to wheel ruts, smearing and poaching of soil. Position access points and gateways at the lowest point of a field to reduce the potential for channelling surface water run-off and cut-off the route for any eroded soil particles. Leave the bed or banks of ditches bare to prevent erosion and to encourage filtration. Clear out entire lengths of ditch at one time, leave a third to a half vegetated, where possible, to reduce erosion and help sediment to be filtered. Cause erosion, compaction or smearing of soil by undertaking activities on the land when conditions are too wet. Site feeders adjacent to watercourses, where possible. Carry out significant excavation works in watercourses without consulting with SEPA. Erect physical barriers in watercourses as these can cause serious erosion. |