Welcome to the first EVER Nickerson Seed Book!

Click to download your copy of the new guide!

For the very first time, you’ll find our entire range brought together in one place – Cereals, Pulses, Oilseed Rape, Maize, Circle Leys grass mixtures, plus our specialist Forage and Environmental seeds. A full catalogue designed to give you clarity, choice, and confidence when it comes to your seed decisions.

Nickerson are the Original Seed Specialists. For over 75 years, we’ve supplied seed and advice to British farmers – trusted by generations because we understand the job, the challenges, and what it takes to grow a successful crop. Our history gives us provenance. Our experience gives you peace of mind. When you choose Nickerson, you are not just buying seed – you are investing in a partnership.

That partnership is delivered through our nationwide team of Nickerson Seed Specialists. These are not simply salespeople – they are experts, practical thinkers, and trusted advisors. They know farming, they know seed, and they take the time to understand your business. Their role is simple: to help you make the best choice for every field, every season.

We are proud of our heritage, but we never stand still.

Farming is changing – new pressures, new opportunities, new demands on every hectare. Our job is to make sure you have the right seed, the right advice, and the right support to meet those challenges head-on.

This brochure is designed to help you do exactly that. It brings our portfolio together in one clear guide – from high-yielding cereals and resilient oilseed rape to productive maize, proven grass mixtures, and targeted environmental options. Every product has been selected, tested, and supported by Nickerson, so you can choose with confidence.

Quality seed. Trusted advice. Unmatched service. That has been our promise for over 75 years – and it remains our promise today.

Take a look at our 2026 Seed Book today.

As forage becomes scarcer, due to changing weather every year, stubble turnips may be a good and quick growing alternative, to see livestock through the autumn and winter months.

Not only this, but they also offer benefits when it comes to soil fertility, soil structure and blackgrass control, and they can work as a catch crop if established early enough in the season, prior to drilling an autumn crop.

Depending on when the turnips are required for grazing, establishment can be anywhere from April (for summer feeding) to early August, if they are required for overwinter feeding. Any later than this, then there is a risk that the turnips will produce more leaf and less bulb.

They can be established either by drilling or broadcast, but in both cases, a good seed bed is required and ideally establish on free draining soils with good drainage, as grazing livestock could cause a mess/ damage when wet.

If drilling, establish at 4kg/ha and if broadcasting, establish at 8kg/ha. Sowing-grazing is 12-14 weeks, and livestock can either be put to grazing immediately after establishment, or it can be left longer to allow bulbs to swell.

If grazing lambs, they should be introduced gradually and other sources of fodder, such as baled silage, should be provided, in order to encourage them to eat the bulbs, otherwise they will only be interested in the leaf. For all types of livestock, fencing is required and should be moved accordingly to manage feedstocks.

As stubble turnips are a brassica, it is important to be aware of potential diseases such as club root and cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB). To minimise these, ensure good crop rotation is in place and monitor growth for CSFB damage, as this can lead to significant yield reduction and/or crop failure, if not treated accordingly. Furthermore, if oilseed rape is grown in the rotation, ensure it is not in close proximity to it (to protect both crops), and control volunteers prior to establishment.

Variety wise, we have 3 options, depending on requirements.

Firstly, Samson is a top selling variety due to its palatability and large tankard bulbs, which produce ample forage for both sheep and cattle.

Secondly, Hector’s bulbs sit proudly above the ground, meaning less wastage, however, the biggest disadvantage to this is that they are less winter hardy, so best utilised as summer/ autumn grazing.

Lastly, Rondo would be the choice for post-Christmas grazing, due to its good root anchorage, resulting in better protection from frost.

We also have bulbless varieties such as Skyfall, and rape hybrids such as Tyfon, which both produce leafier material, better suited for later establishment. These can also be established alongside bulb varieties, to provide extended resources.

For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Nickerson Seed Specialist.

Unprecedented dry conditions last spring meant that many farms across the UK are now faced with reduced winter feedstocks.

Silage has been used on many farms to buffer feed throughout the summer, to ensure welfare and productivity from livestock, which has eaten into already reduced feed levels. September 2025 saw much of the UK have reasonably good levels of rainfall, which then led to good growth rates from grass and forage crops. This will help to prolong grazing and could offer an opportunity for a later cut of silage.

Spring 2025 was the sixth driest on record, with the UK experiencing 40% less rainfall than average. Summer 2025 also became the warmest and sunniest on record, forcing many areas into drought.

Weather patterns are becoming increasingly erratic. How can the risks be mitigated through cropping rotations?

Humbolt Rye is a forage rye variety bred specifically for UK conditions. It can be drilled from September to mid-October, and grows quickly to cover the soil over winter, helping to prevent erosion and intake leftover nutrients from the previous crop. With strong early growth, it’s ideal for early cattle turnout or zero grazing, producing around 5 to 6 tonnes of dry matter per hectare, to support reduced silage stocks.

Catch Crop mixtures can be used to extend grazing in late autumn/ winter. The combination of stubble turnip, forage rape and kale, offer rapid growth, good protein and energy levels, as well as being winter hardy. It can be grazed 12-14 weeks after sowing, if sown ideally by the end of August. Mixtures such as ‘Meat Maker’, offer high yields and palatability at a good price point.

A robust reseeding programme will ensure that stocks of ensiled feed aren’t as relied upon during periods of dry weather. Grass mixtures which contain hybrid ryegrass fare better in drier periods, due to their deeper root systems. Grass mixtures that contain high yielding, intermediate varieties of ryegrass will also offer earlier growth, reducing the pressure in spring for prolonged feeding of silage.

The Nickerson Circle Ley grass range offers grass mixtures to suit a range of systems. Long term mixtures, to increase yield and quality, as well as shorter term leys, to follow crops of maize, with subsequent high yielding grass crops to increase silage stocks. Our unique GPA dressing will assist with increased germination rates and greater root mass, ensuring the ley gets off to the best start possible.

For more information about planning your rotation to cope with periods of challenging weather patterns, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Nickerson Seed Specialist.

The Nickerson team once again attended the Bath & West Dairy Show, based near Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

This year, we were based in the Showering Pavilion, opposite the cattle arena. It is always great to see the hard work and commitment so many put into their stock, really pay off. I have been attending this event since I was young and although the site and stands remain similar, what attendees show and sell has definitely changed!

That goes for seed too; varieties, regardless of species, have moved on so much in the past decade. With the sheer number of different varieties and mixtures on the market, coupled with the Single Farm Incentive (SFI) and other environmental schemes, it can be difficult to know what to do.

This is where we, as Seed Specialists, can help you to make it all a bit clearer!

There is often a theme when talking to customers on a show stand. The recurring theme on stand at this year’s show was variability. Whether that be levels of forage in stock for the winter, or progress through maize harvest, it all comes down to who caught the rain and who sadly did not. I can say from my own experience, that west of Cardiff and South Wales has been lucky, as has Devon and Cornwall. Whereas, central and Southern areas have had to contend with a serious forage shortfall. 

There is little that can be done about that now of course, although there is still time to put in catch crop mixtures to maximise home grown forage for the winter and into the spring.

Options at this point in the season could include short and long-term leys, wholecrop options or forage rye, which is often overlooked, but can be grazed in situ or zero grazed.

Another takeaway from this season, particularly in drought hit areas, is that the smallest differences can have the biggest effects. Soil type for example, has affected how well crops have done this year more than most, even soil type differences within the same field have been quite easy to spot.

As our weather is getting more and more extreme, rotation planning, cultivation methods, drilling dates and many more factors, are all things which can have a significant difference on the outcome and success of your crops.

Contact your Nickerson Seed Specialist for the best advice for your specific farm needs.

The closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme may have taken the shine off growing herbal leys, but it does give us the opportunity to weigh up their value when it comes producing high yields of top quality forages.

The suspension of applications for the SFI in early March came as a blow for those farmers who hadn’t already applied or been accepted for the scheme.

“There’s no denying that the payments were appealing to livestock farmers, when input prices were, and continue to be, highly volatile, and weather patterns create more challenges and uncertainty in seasonal grass growing patterns,” says David Watson, North of England seed specialist for Nickerson.

“The certainty of £382 a hectare ‘in the bank’ for growing a herbal ley is attractive, and at the same time there are benefits from improved soil structure, reduced inputs and an extended grazing season in many cases.”

While the value of the herbal ley to soil health, and its reduced reliance on fertilisers are among the benefits of growing the crop, it doesn’t compete in yield or feed value with a quality perennial ryegrass sward.

“The herbal ley can provide good grazing for young stock and dry cows in fields away from the dairy platform, and some will use it for cutting and making into silage, he adds.

“Given the difference in yield and feed value, it would be very difficult to get the energy out of a standard herbal ley to support cows yielding 8,000 plus litres of milk.

“Their suitability for high production and housed herds, or those running an intensive grazing management system, should be weighed up and compared to alternative grass seed mixtures.”

Energy price tag

He illustrates the importance of forage energy production – a crucial part of improving milk or meat from home grown forage – by comparing the productivity of new and old perennial ryegrass swards.

A new ryegrass sward in its first and second year should yield 13.5 tonnes of dry matter per hectare at 12.0 ME, producing 162,000 megajoules of energy.

The ME of a 10-year-old sward, with a much lower per cent of perennial ryegrass, is likely to produce only 7 tonnes of dry matter a hectare and 10.8ME, yielding 76,000 MJ of energy.

“The difference is 86,000 MJ. This shortfall in energy is equivalent to the energy from 7.3 tonnes of wheat. Taking a price of £200 a tonne, this would add £1460 a hectare to costs to gain the same energy in feed.”

“We need to consider the difference in production between swards of different qualities and potential.”

In the case of a herbal ley in the SFI scheme, the lower productivity should be offset against the £382 a hectare payment.

“We should also consider the shorter sward longevity of a herbal ley and the decline in species diversity when we consider costs verses benefits,” he adds.

Those who have not gone down the SFI route, or have missed out, can reap rewards. “Evaluating their grassland and estimating perennial ryegrass content – which should be above 70%, and making improvements to those swards needing some TLC will improve forage productivity on the farm.

“Trials continue to show that new leys will yield up to five tonnes of dry matter per hectare more in their first year than a four-year-old ley. This means reseeding typically pays for itself in yield value within the first two years.

A reseed also offers the opportunity to introduce clover. A typical grass ley with 30% white clover can fix 180kgN per hectare. Based on a urea cost of £748 per tonne, this is worth around £305 per hectare.

Clover-rich swards can remove the need for nitrogen applications throughout the ley’s lifespan, and there may even be residual nitrogen left for the following crop. And if a full reseed isn’t a suitable option, pelleted clover is a great way to overseed into an existing ley.

“A more intensive approach to grassland management could be more cost-effective. And maximising home-grown forage production has cost and environmental benefits over bought in feed products.”

Pick a mix

Choice of seed mixture will affect both yield and feed value, and when it comes to selecting perennial ryegrass mixtures, farmers can ‘cash in’ on well-designed, tried-and-tested mixtures shown to out-perform standard mixtures.

“It’s worth paying that small premium,” adds David. “The cost of preparing land and sowing the crop is the same, and the seed cost is only a small proportion of the total process, so the extra cost here will pay for itself in better yield and quality.”

“There’s a lot of knowledge and research that’s used in formulating grass seed mixtures, using recommended varieties that perform well in their own right and compliment other varieties in the mixture.

Extensive Limagrain field trials have shown that new, top-yielding varieties, will outyield mixtures with older varieties, even at lower nitrogen rates. So even if it is necessary to cut back on application rates, a new ley, with the latest varieties will yield better than older mixtures or varieties. Nickerson Circle Leys – with the Red, Gold and Green Circle mixtures ideal for dairy; the choice depending on the required duration of the ley.

“These field trial results also demonstrate a mixture’s suitability to different conditions and uses – cutting, grazing and dual purpose. We can use this information to advise the best choices for the system and the farm,” he says.

And although payments have also ceased for including legumes – typically clover in grass leys, there are still advantages of including it in the sward, either in the grass seed mixture or oversown once the grass is established.

“Clover will add feed value and promote intakes and fix nitrogen in the soil – it brings many benefits.”

The knowledge and choice of species and advancements in varieties available in perennial grass seed mixtures is limited in herbal seed mixtures.

“Although some companies now offer more specialist herbal seed mixtures, many just ‘tick the boxes’ with the required number of herbs in the mix and less productive grasses that don’t compete against the herbs and legumes within that mix. And there’s often limited knowledge on their performance and feed value,” says David

While herbal leys can be attractive – particularly if payments are available, the pros and cons need weighing up to make sure the right decisions are being made. And for those not involved in the SFI scheme, all is not lost. There are worthwhile rewards to be had in selecting high quality mixtures and in reseeding or oversowing with perennial ryegrass mixtures as part of the grassland rotation.

On 29th January, myself along with colleagues from the Northern Team, hosted an Alternative Forages Conference in and around Stocksfield and Ebchester, South Northumberland.

The event brought together industry experts, farmers, and stakeholders to discuss the benefits of home-grown forages in reducing costs, improving farm profitability, and minimising the environmental impact of livestock feeds, especially those that have been imported.

The day featured a number of insightful presentations from experts across the Industry:

• Lily Spencer Brown of Myton Foods emphasised the significance of home-grown forages for their operations, and the benefits they provide to producers. She also outlined Myton Foods’ producer schemes, specifically their beef production partnerships with multiple retailers, including Morrisons.
• Michael Carpenter, Technical Director of Kelvin Cave shared his extensive knowledge on conserving maize and grass silages. He also explored the inclusion of crimped and whole-cropped legumes in livestock diets and his involvement in the NCS research project, which investigates legumes as a source of home-grown protein.
• Tim Richmond, Maize Product Manager for LG Seeds highlighted the potential of Ultra Early maize varieties in the North, explaining how these varieties have revolutionized maize cultivation, by eliminating the need for plastic film.
• John Spence,  Forage Crops Product Manager for LG Seeds outlined the importance of grass in the diet and the need to ensure that swards were regularly re-seeded to prevent a deterioration in both quality and yield.
• 

Following the discussions, we then visited Broadoak Farm, where hosts Wayne and Geoff Bean demonstrated how they have successfully implemented the principles discussed during the conference. 

Myself and the Nickerson Northern team would like to thank all the guest speakers, and Geoff and Wayne Bean for their invaluable help with this event, and to Kelvin Cave Ltd for additional sponsorship.

We hope to see you at our next event!

More Information?
If you would like to know more about how these forages could help you on your farm please contact me on 07811 746804, david.watson@nickerson.co.uk

I’m Simon Custance. I come from a family farm in north west Cambridgeshire where we grow winter and spring cereals, winter beans and sugar beet.

I’ve always enjoyed farming from helping my dad walk fields as a child, to grading potatoes and learning to drive a tractor in my teens.

I studied Agriculture with Crop Science at Hartpury where I learned much more about maize, grass and added to my existing knowledge of combinables and roots.

The course was wide-ranging including working on the university farm doing many roles. Milking cows, lambing and young stock management were all enjoyable parts that I learnt and was happy to gain experience in.

After finishing university in May 2020, I started with Agrii as a Agronomist. I really enjoyed the problem-solving aspect of identifying pests, weeds and diseases and coming up with both cultural and chemical solutions.

After almost 2 years with Agrii, I decided to leave in spring 2022, the world was opening post-Covid and I travelled to Canada to work on an arable farm and experience different farming methods. South Saskatchewan is on the same latitude as the midlands; however, the farming practices are incredibly different! Rainfall is about 30% of central England. The challenges for the farm there revolved around the large temperature fluctuation of -40 to +40 degrees Celsius, low rainfall and poorer soils.

On my return to England, I worked for a local New Holland dealer in Cambridgeshire demonstrating, selling and supporting products from combines to potato planters. I was given an established area and helped, through a difficult time for agriculture, to build a customer base and expand the business.

I have always thought seed is the most important part of growing. Varietal choice for the unique conditions each farm and field present is critical. That’s when I applied for the job with Nickerson, I am very much looking forward to learning and expanding the business.

Nickerson is a well-established and highly thought of company, I am very privileged to work for them as a Seed Specialist, learning and working in an industry which is always full of ideas and forward thinking.

On October 29th and 30th, my Nickerson Seed Specialist colleagues and I had the privilege of attending an intensive training course at the LG Forage Crops Research Station in North Clifton, Lincolnshire. This event, led by John Spence, Limagrain Field Seed’s Forage Crops Product Manager, was an eye-opening experience into the world of alternative forage crops.

Hands-On Learning with Expert Guidance
Under John’s expert guidance, we explored a variety of forage crops including fodder beet, forage kale and rape, swedes and turnips, stubble turnips, lucerne, and forage rye. The hands-on nature of the training allowed us to inspect these crops in the field, providing a tangible understanding of their growth patterns and potential benefits.

Integrating Forage Crops into Farming Systems
A significant part of our discussions focused on how these crops could be effectively integrated into farming systems to enhance economic returns. We delved into the importance of not only selecting the right crop but also choosing the correct variety. This selection process is crucial for optimising livestock diets and reducing the reliance on bought-in concentrated feeds.

Economic and Nutritional Benefits
The course highlighted the substantial impact that alternative forage crops can have on modern farming systems. By improving livestock diets with these crops, farmers can achieve better health and productivity in their herds, ultimately leading to improved economic outcomes. The reduction in the need for external feed inputs also presents a cost-saving advantage.

A Fascinating and Informative Experience
Overall, the training was a fascinating journey into the potential of alternative forage crops. It emphasised how these crops can play a pivotal role in sustainable farming practices, offering both economic and nutritional benefits. The knowledge and insights gained from this course will undoubtedly influence our approach to forage crop selection and integration moving forward.

More Information?
If you would like to know more about how these forages could help you on your farm please contact me on 07811 746804, david.watson@nickerson.co.uk

I always look forward to the Southwest Dairy event at the Bath and West showground, not only is it an opportunity to catch up with customers new and old but it is also a chance for everyone involved in the industry to come together and talk with one another. It is a time for farmers to show their cattle and the challenging work and care that goes into these animals.

I have been attending this event since I was young, and although the site and exhibitors remain similar, the show has definitely evolved! That goes for the seed industry as well. Varieties, regardless of species have moved on so much in the past decade, with the number of different varieties and mixtures on the market currently coupled with the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) I appreciate it can seem unclear. That is where we step in to help you. Whether it is advice on the constantly changing and adapting Single Farm Incentive; deciding when to cut your maize; grass reseeding and catch crop options to name but a few, we can help you with here at Nickerson.

Simply give us a call or come along to our stand at the Dairy event, you can find us in the Edmond Rack building on stand 177, feel free to pick our brains over a cup of something!  We are also proudly celebrating the 75^th anniversary of our Circle Ley grass seed brand by giving you the chance to win 75 acres worth of grass seed with every eligible grass seed order – see your local Nickerson rep for more details!

After 45 years working for Nickerson I have decided to move on to the next stage of my life, which is  retirement.

I thought it was ironic that on my last day on farm I’ve taken a picture of one of the best crops of winter wheat I have seen in my area which happened to be Claire, a winter wheat which must be over 25 years old.  It has been a pleasure helping Nickerson to introduce new varieties to the market and hear the success stories of those that we have introduced, too many varieties to mention.

A massive thank you to all my customers, if it was not for your support and loyalty I would definitely not have lasted the 45 years working for the company and I wish you all every success in your future cropping. I know I am very comfortable leaving the business in a very safe pair of hands – those of Douglas Bonn. We have enjoyed meeting most of you over the last three months and he will continue to look after your requirements in the future.

Again thank you for your support I wish you well

Nick Wallace.

The new SFI schemes are prompting many conversations with our growers, especially around herbal leys and particularly SAM 3. Essentially, the new name for GS4 within the older Countryside Stewardship Scheme.

There are many mixtures available in the marketplace for growers to choose from that will be compliant with the scheme’s protocol. But it is not until you really pay attention to these mixtures and investigate what makes up their contents, that you see how different they all are.

A grower could end up with a herbal ley that grows just enough to require a topper over it once a year, or a herbal ley that will perform closer to the outputs of a conventional ley.

A frequent question from growers that are looking to sow a SAM3/GS4 herbal ley in place of a conventional grass ley is; can I maintain production whilst qualifying for the SFI scheme’s intentions, and be able to claim a payment?

In short, herbal leys simply will not match a top performing ley for yield or quality, but we know that we can get close with our mixtures.

Conventional grass mixtures have been designed and tested over many years using varieties that have been bred and cultivated over decades, such as our Circle leys, that have been true to their concept since 1947.

The best performing leys use varieties that complement and will grow together, in harmony. Scheme compliant mixtures simply do not have the ability to compete, whichever way you cut it – wildflowers and herbs will not yield, harmonise, or have the feed value in comparison with modern clovers and ryegrass.

You also have to factor in the animal’s desire to eat what is in front of it and whilst herbs sound ideal, too much is overpowering, and an animal will spend more energy looking for the alternative.

From our experience with CSS and lessons we have learnt, Nickerson and Limagrain have looked to get as close as we can with the mixtures.

First off, we use only seed of the highest quality and vigour and then design a herbal ley with the same approach as a conventional ley. Indeed, as for our SAM 3/GS4 mixtures we start with using one of our conventional leys as a base and remove/add in constituents to make it compliant.

We can also tailor a mixture to include more higher yielding and quality grasses and clovers and less productive legume types, herbs and wildflowers that will offer least in terms of production. We therefore offer different mixtures with different percentages of ryegrass and clover; all of which are compliant with the scheme but will suit growers’ requirements accordingly.

This year, I have been working with a grower, where we have been growing our multispecies 75 as seen in the pictures below.

These photos were taken on the 3^rd of August, and this was its 4^th cut of the year already and two grazes. Yields were to a point of causing an issue of what to do with the excess! Quality is also very high.

So, can you have your herbal cake and eat it? Well, talk to your local Nickerson Seed Specialist to find out…

As a new year starts thoughts of the coming season are not far away and the development of a grazing wedge or a good first cut of silage should be at the forefront of plans.

The key driver for all soil nutrition is pH and this ideally should be sitting around pH 6.5.  Regular soil testing must be carried out to manage this factor.  The type of fertiliser used makes a huge difference to the pH of the soil.  The use of Calcium Nitrate (CAN) fertilizer has a lesser effect on pH with 1Kg reducing soil pH by 0.4 points where 1 Kg of Ammonium Nitrate and Urea will reduce it by 1.2 points.

A grass ley overwintering with too much growth can cause problems with disease and winter kill.  Sheep winter grazing to reduce winter cover is a useful tool but if the goal is for an early grazing wedge or early first cut of silage sheep should be taken off the grass before the end of January.

Even with the best winter management there will always be an amount of winter kill to manage. In the resent years the introduction and development of the spring tine harrow has revolutionised the management of a grass ley. Running a grass harrow over a sward in early spring will remove any dead grass so creating space for new tillers it will also stimulate the first few centimetres of soil so absorbing atmospheric nitrogen.

The grass plant will “wake up” before visible signs show above ground.  Over winter a grass plant loses much of its root mass, and this is the first part of the plant to grow as it comes out winter.  The first 40 days of this process is key to provide the plant with the infrastructure to give the plant the nutrition it requires for the season    . 

I’ve made some assumptions when looking at the nutritional requirement for first cut silage or the development of a grazing wedge.  I have assumed that the pH is 6.5, the soil indices are +2 and the expected yield of first cut silage is 25 tonnes per hectare @ 30% dry matter.  The plant will therefore require 120Kg nitrogen (if soil pH is less than 6.5 and calcium content is less than 2,000mg/L CAN should be considered as the source of nitrogen), 40Kg of phosphate as P2O5, 80Kg potassium as K2O and 30Kg of sulphur as SO3.

Grass Ley January

Grass Ley March