Following another hot and dry growing season across the UK, many maize crops are advancing towards maturity more quickly than expected. While crop condition is generally stronger than last season, growers need to harbour the lessons learnt from previous years when extreme weather accelerated crop development. 

For farmers growing maize for silage, selecting the correct harvest timing remains one of the most important factors in achieving high-quality forage and maximising feed value. 

The target dry matter for most maize grown for silage, is around 30-35%. Harvesting within this window helps maximise starch content, improve digestibility and support effective clamp fermentation resulting in more consistent forage quality throughout the feeding season. 

Assess Maize Maturity Carefully 

Dry conditions can cause maize plants to senesce earlier than normal, making crops appear ready, well before the cob has fully matured.  

Rather than relying solely on the appearance of the crop, growers should regularly assess cob maturity and monitor whole plant dry matter. The aim is to harvest a crop that still retains green leaf area while carrying mature grain. 

As the grain matures, starch accumulates within the kernels, significantly increasing the crop’s energy value. Allowing the crop to reach the correct stage of maturity, ensures this valuable starch is captured without compromising clamp consolidation or fermentation.  

Harvesting too early can result in lower starch levels and reduced feed value. However, delaying harvest beyond the optimum stage can reduce digestibility and make crops more difficult to chop, compact and preserve effectively in the clamp. 

Why Field-by-Field Monitoring Matters 

No two maize fields mature at the same rate. 

Factors including, soil type, drilling date, rainfall, and variety maturity, all influence harvest timing, meaning regular field walking is essential. 

Sampling representative plants and measuring dry matter, provides a far more reliable guide than judging crops from the field edge. 

Extreme heat has led to maize crops maturing quicker than expected this season.

When is Maize Ready for Harvest? 

 Key indicators that forage maize is approaching the optimum harvest stage include: 

– Whole-crop dry matter is 30–35%  
– The milk line is halfway to two-thirds down the kernel when you split a cob 
– The very lower leaves are browning, but the upper plant is still green 
– The cobs are full with firm, doughy kernels 

Monitoring these indicators together will help ensure crops are harvested at the point where yield and forage quality are best balanced. 

Maize Variety Selection Remains Critical 

This season has once again highlighted the importance of selecting maize varieties with reliable maturity and strong agronomic performance. 

Choosing the right maize variety for local growing conditions provides greater flexibility at harvest and helps ensure crops consistently achieve target dry matter before autumn weather becomes a limiting factor. 

Earlier-maturing varieties can help reduce harvest risk, while varieties with proven forage quality characteristics can support improved livestock performance and feed efficiency. 

Planning for Next Season 

Successful maize production starts long before harvest. Variety choice plays a major role in determining harvest flexibility, forage quality and overall crop performance. 

At Nickerson, our forage maize portfolio has been selected to deliver reliable maturity, strong silage quality and dependable on-farm performance across a wide range of growing conditions. Combined with careful monitoring of crop maturity and timely harvesting, selecting the right variety helps maximise forage quality and feed value year after year. 

With harvest now largely complete across southern England following an unprecedented early harvest, attention is quickly turning to the establishment of next year’s crop. For many growers, oilseed rape (OSR) will be among the first crops drilled this autumn.

As more farmers return to growing oilseed rape after several years away, successful establishment remains one of the biggest challenges. Pressure from cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB), combined with increasingly unpredictable autumn weather, means every decision made at drilling can have a significant impact on crop performance and final yield.

Successful Oilseed Rape Establishment Starts with Soil Conditions

The key to successful oilseed rape establishment, is creating the right conditions for rapid emergence and strong early growth.

Moisture conservation is essential. Many growers are opting for minimal soil disturbance where possible, preserving valuable soil moisture while encouraging quick and even germination.

While there is always pressure to drill oilseed rape early, successful establishment should be driven by soil conditions rather than calendar dates. Waiting for sufficient moisture can often produce a more even, vigorous crop, than drilling into dry seedbeds.

Nutrition Supports Early OSR Growth

Attention to crop nutrition can also play an important role during establishment.

Ensuring adequate phosphate availability and considering early nitrogen applications where appropriate can help maximise rooting and canopy development during establishment.

A well-established oilseed rape crop enters winter in a stronger position, helping maximise spring growth potential and ultimately supporting yield.

Oilseed rape will be a popular crop this autumn.

Why Hybrid Oilseed Rape Varieties Deliver Stronger Establishment

Variety choice is one of the most important decisions growers make before drilling.

Hybrid oilseed rape varieties continue to demonstrate their value, particularly in the challenging conditions often experienced across southern UK.

Their inherent vigour allows seedlings to emerge rapidly, develop larger root systems, and build biomass quickly during the crucial early weeks after drilling.

This early vigour can help crops:

– Grow away from cabbage stem flea beetle grazing
– Produce stronger root systems before winter
– Improve competitiveness against weeds
– Maintain more consistent plant populations where establishment conditions are less than ideal

For many growers, these characteristics make hybrid varieties a key part of a successful oilseed rape strategy.

The Importance of Pod Shatter Resistance

The benefits of hybrid oilseed rape extend beyond establishment.

All Nickerson hybrid oilseed rape varieties include the pod shatter resistance trait, helping reduce losses where weather conditions delay harvest. This provides greater security and flexibility at a critical stage of the season and remains one of the most valuable characteristics growers should consider when selecting an oilseed rape variety.

Building a Resilient Oilseed Rape Crop

Every season presents different challenges, but establishing a vigorous crop remains the best defence against pests, weather and variable autumn conditions.

Choosing a high-performing hybrid oilseed rape variety, combined with careful attention to seedbed quality and drilling conditions, gives growers the greatest opportunity to maximise yield potential from the very start.

At Nickerson, our hybrid oilseed rape portfolio has been selected to deliver the vigour, resilience and performance needed for UK farming.

By giving crops the strongest possible start this autumn, growers can build the foundations for a successful harvest next summer.

Take a look at our Oilseed Rape varieties here.

Maize is one of my favourite crops to talk about. There is such a substantial difference between the vast array of maize varieties currently on the market – perhaps more so than any other crop species.

When I am speaking to my customers regarding variety choice for the upcoming season, I consider many factors before making a variety recommendation. These factors can include soil type, field aspect, end-use, drilling period and intended harvest date, amongst others. All these factors must be considered in order to choose the correct varieties for your farm.

Within my area, there has been a notable uptick in attention to variety choice, due to the extremely varied and challenging seasons we have had in recent years. The vast differences between the 2024 season, which saw crops mature later than normal, compared to 2025, which has been incredibly early, has thrown confusion into variety choice for this coming year.

Variety choice plays a key role in overcoming abnormal climatic conditions, so it is reassuring to know that there is a spectrum of different varieties out there, and there will certainly be one to fit on your farm.

We have also had more disease pressure in 2025, along with increasingly common pests, such as the European corn borer, which is making its way further north every year. I always try to encourage my customers to think about the above factors when looking at variety choice, to help mitigate risks in the coming growing season.

However, even with all these challenges we face, we can still produce an excellent quality crop. Whether it is for forage, crimping or anaerobic digestion, we have the varieties and experience to best guide our growers to the correct variety choice.

Download the brand new 2026 Nickerson Seed Book here featuring all our maize varieties!

As someone who works closely with UK growers every day, I’ve seen how pulses (peas and beans) are a key part of sustainable farming. They’re not just a great source of protein for both human and animal diets, but also improve soil health and reduce input costs.

We have been involved in many studies using home grown proteins in animal diets, to replace imported soya, thereby saving costs and reducing environmental impact.

At Nickerson, we work alongside our colleagues in Limagrain, who have a diverse Pulse Portfolio – not just in terms of yield, but also in traits like disease resistance, early maturity, strong standing ability and market access. These are the things that really matter when it comes to getting the most out of your crop.

Pulses fix nitrogen naturally, helping to cut down the need for artificial fertilisers, which we all know are getting more expensive and difficult to source. They also help with better weed control and benefit the following crops in the rotation, like cereals and oilseeds.

It’s a win-win for both productivity and sustainability.

One variety I’m particularly excited about is LG Eagle – a spring bean that’s delivering high yields and excellent disease resistance. It matures early and stands well, which means fewer harvest losses and more flexibility. It’s suitable for a range of markets; from human consumption to fish feed and animal protein.

LG Spring Beans have strong disease resistance, early maturity, and they deliver high yields.

On the pea side, LG Corvet is a standout yellow combining pea. It’s got top-tier downy mildew resistance and a high protein content. Its short stature and strong standing ability make for easy combining.

As a Nickerson Seed Specialist, I’m here to help you choose the right variety for your location and cropping system.

Whether you’re looking to improve soil health, reduce inputs, or tap into new market opportunities, pulses are a great choice, and we offer varieties to fit all these situations.

If you’d like to chat about how pulses could fit into your rotation, or want to learn more about the latest varieties, please give your local Nickerson Seed Specialist a call.

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 the 2025 autumn drilling season draws to a close, I have now completed my first full season with Nickerson.

James Frazer

There will be some more wheat to be drilled after potatoes but on the whole, most farms have completed their drilling campaign for crop 2026. The ’25 growing season has been challenging due to the extreme weather conditions that growers have faced. The dry spring allowed spring crops to be established early in good conditions, but the crops were soon needing moisture and yields have suffered as a result.

The winter crops, by contrast, were established in good conditions in autumn ’24 and although there has been some loss of yield potential due to moisture stress, the yields have been very good for winter wheat, barley and oilseed rape.

The oilseed rape especially, has been the standout crop on most farms that include it in their rotation, with many yields reported around or above 5t/ha! 

The role with Nickerson has helped me increase my knowledge of varieties of all crops, which has allowed me to better advise my customers.

LG Typhoon

For winter barley growers, both LG Caravelle and LG Capitol are equally good options. Oilseed rape growers have a plentiful number of varieties to choose from, with LG Adapt giving another step up in yield, alongside the established LG Armada and LG Ambassador. LG Anarion is still a robust variety for farms with shorter brassica rotations.

LG Rebellion

Wheat growers have a choice of variety for each sowing position. LG Typhoon is suitable for the early sowing slot from the start of September, and LG Beowulf is a good option for the mid and late drilling slot. For late drilling, which is predominantly after potatoes or vegetables, LG Redwald offers a very high yield potential.

Although LG Skyscraper has been on the market for several years, it has shown its resilience, and it is still a good option for the mid to late slot. This year, many farmers have commented that it has yielded around 12.5 t/ha in many different parts of the country.

Another variety that gives growers a different option is LG Rebellion. It has an early maturity of -1, without losing a lot of yield. In fact, it was one of our top yielding varieties in the LG Perth trial site.

With this season over, I’m already looking forward to the next one, and I’m eager to see how new LG varieties are performing on farm.

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

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.

Over the last 20 years, maize breeding has come a long way.

It would be perfectly normal for Farms to be cutting Maize in November in the south and Midlands back in 2000. Maize wouldn’t even be considered in a dairy ration north of the Humber in Yorkshire or Lancashire back in  the early 2000s. But now most Farms in the South and Midlands can harvest early varieties by the first and second week in September, and farms in the North can finally harvest varieties in mid October without plastic.

 With this revolution in dairy rations bringing affordable homegrown protein, how can harvesting earlier in the season be more cost-effective for your farm business?

 With the government’s new SFI scheme replacing the Basic Payment, farmers are having to change their cropping systems again—not due to revolutionary breeding, but to maintain much needed income for their businesses. This is where the last 30 years of maize breeding and research could come into play.

 Schemes such as SAM2, which promotes multi-species winter cover crops, are being introduced to ensure farmers don’t have fallow fields over the winter period. Though the payment is not substantial, it still provides support to the business.

 With an earlier variety, the benefits extend beyond just yield; it’s easier on the soil, reducing compaction and water run-off.  This keeps any risk of environmental damage to minimum, saving farms from any potential visits from the environment agency.

 Many farmers have found it easier to coordinate with their contractors, as harvesting earlier means that contractors do not have to rush between farms leading to a better service and a better clamp compacted and covered. Farmers are also finding that, with having earlier varieties available to them, they have a longer window for the maize in the clamp to ferment with anaerobic respiration, leading to a higher quality product for their cows when the grass quality drops.

With a longer period before the soil temperature drops, the cover crops have a better chance for establishing. If farmers choose to grow a grass mix, including Westworlds and Italian ryegrass post-maize harvest. In a full farm rotation, an early maize harvest could be incredibly beneficial for getting in a cereals crop, such as barley or triticale.

Holding soil structure together better means fewer nutrients run-off the fields. saving fertiliser expenditure for the next crop. 

In conclusion, adapting to the advancements in maize breeding and embracing earlier harvesting practices is not just a matter of timing; it’s about securing the financial future of our farms. By making these strategic changes, we can optimise our operations and enhance the sustainability of our agricultural practices.

More Information?
If you would like to know more about how embracing earlier harvesting practises could help you on your farm please contact me on 07977523201, or sam.johnson@nickerson.co.uk

Farms across the country have had a tough time over the last few years growing OSR. Many growers have cut back, and several have removed OSR from their rotation altogether. However, figures from Defra are showing that the area of OSR grown has increased in the Southeast of England. So, do the farms of the south know something the rest of the country does not?

The Southern part of the UK was decimated in 2019 with the OSR crop having the weather and the dreaded Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle (CSFB) against it. Many growers took the hit and swore they would never grow OSR again. However, many have kept going and have learnt to live with this pest.

Growing the correct variety; OSR is a high input crop so choosing a high yielding variety that can offer maximum return is key. LG Armada is the highest yielding OSR variety on the AHDB recommended list. Along with high yield, LG Armada also has pod shatter resistance, Turnip yellows virus resistance along with good resistance to light leaf spot and stem canker. Vigour varies between varieties, some have better Autumn vigour and some better Spring vigour, speak to your local seed specialist to find out which variety will suit you best.

Drilling timing and soil moisture; this is key to a fast establishment farmers that drill into moist seedbeds with rain in the forecast have more of a chance to beat adult CSFB damage, there is no doubt that we go into danger zone when the OSR emerges and then runs out of moisture. We need to be looking at the forecast rather than the calendar.

Companion and trap crops; There has been some anecdotal evidence of success with companion crops, especially when these companion crops are established before the OSR is drilled, the payments that can be claimed through the new Single Farm Incentive makes this even more attracting. OSR volunteers can also act as a trap crop and divert CSFB away from adjacent cash crops. When trap crops are destroyed, CSFB eggs or larvae die. In trials, the approach reduced adult CSFB infestation (by up to 88%) and damage (by up to 76%) in the oilseed rape cash crop. However, benefits were variable and not always observed.

OSR prices rising? Well, there are two things you can never really predict in farming, one being the weather and the second being markets. Prices have come back a long way since the immediate aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but are starting to climb again at the time of writing in late May. There are also other reasons for optimism, the EU is set to ban unsustainable palm oil imports this year and this could lead to producers switching to rape seed oil instead, a cut in Canada’s canola production estimate for 2024/25 due to spring acreage shifts to wheat on the back of poor growing conditions has also been supporting prices more recently.

So, there is much reason to be optimistic for a crop that we know works well in cropping rotations, spreads the harvest workload, and has, and can still return a healthy gross margin.

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

As the shed doors close after a challenging harvest ‘23 we have been busy sowing the Nickerson demonstration sites for the coming season.

We have three sites this year.  In Aberdeenshire at Savock Farms, Ellon by kind permission of Andrew Booth.

Savock Farms, Ellon

Barelees Farm, Borders

In Fife at Wellsgreen Farm by kind permission of WS & J Whiteford and in conjunction with Forth Crop Solutions and in the borders at Barelees Farm by kind permission of the Todd family.

At each site we have current popular varieties and new varieties to look at from both the Limagrain wheat breeding program as well as other breeders.  Our focus this year has been on seed rates, so many varieties have been sown at different rates.

Wellsgreen Farm, Fife

Cultivation and the rotation position is different on each site.  At Savock the demonstration is after winter oil seed rape, cultivated with a Simba XL and sown with an Amazon drill, at Wellsgreen the demonstration is following spring barley cultivated with Simba SL and sown with a Lemken power harrow drill.  The Barelees site is after peas harvested in June and then sown in a cover crop.  Most of the field was cultivated with a Terrano the day before sowing with an area left to allow us to drill into the cultivated area and directly into the cover crop with a Vaderstad Rapid.

Updates will be posted throughout the season but if anyone would like to visit any of the sites please contact either Nick or Douglas.