In this May edition of the Tim and Nick Roadshow, retired agronomist Nick Woodyatt and regenerative advisor Tim Parton unpack the pressures facing arable farmers against a backdrop of political uncertainty, volatile nitrogen prices, and brutal weather. Speaking on 13th May, they describe how persistent wind, drought, and even late frosts are stressing crops across central and eastern England, with some spring crops failing completely and global wheat economics pushing growers to question whether wheat is still viable.
A major focus is nutritional management under stress. Tim introduces a new on-farm leaf and soil testing device that delivers instant nutrient readings, allowing real-time correction of deficiencies - especially potassium, which is locked up in many dry soils but is critical now for seed size, viability, and overall grain fill. By keeping plant nutrition in balance, they argue, farmers can cut reliance on fungicides and insecticides and make inputs pay.
They walk through practical plans for winter wheat and oilseed rape: high-potassium foliars plus micronutrients and micro amino on wheat, and a carefully timed late foliar pass on oilseed rape once flowering finishes to support the heavy pod set. They also explore the growing importance of amino-acid nutrition, legumes and clovers for biological nitrogen, and alternative crops like hemp, soy, and linseed as rotations evolve.
Nick and Tim close with a candid discussion on glyphosate: acknowledging serious health and environmental concerns, especially where it’s used as a desiccant and on GM crops, but warning that an outright ban would make regenerative systems far harder to run. Throughout, they repeatedly return to mental health in farming, urging listeners not to struggle alone but to talk, meet others, and seek support in what is, for many, an exceptionally tough season.