Scottish growing sector faces pros and cons due to mixed weather
Following an exceptionally dry spring in 2020, many were hoping for a more ‘normal’ spell of spring weather in 2021.
However, the weather over the past month has been predominantly dry for most, along with being exceptionally cold, with the Met Office provisionally reporting that it has been the frostiest April for 60 years.
According to Donald Paterson, agronomist with Scottish Agronomy, all of this has brought pros and cons to the arable sector.
Spring cereals have been slow to emerge in the cold conditions though, with many taking up to three weeks, and it could still be sometime before any potato crops begin to emerge.
Liquid fertiliser applications have also been a challenge, with overnight frosts leading to an increased risk of leaf scorch, and the lack of rain meaning that any fertiliser applications have been slow to get washed into crops.
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