With harvest out the way and the fields once again bare, many of our customers are busy installing land drainage. Investing in your land in the current economic climate may seem risky, but ensuring your fields are well drained can make all the difference. Our customers have reported yield improvements of up to 40% thanks to effective land drainage.
5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Delay Investing in Land Drainage
1. Banishes black-grass
Good land drainage improves soil structure and helps eliminate black-grass for good. To tackle this persistent problem, it’s essential to maintain healthy, well-drained soil. At the 2016 Cereals Event, 81% of attendees agreed that good drainage helps manage black-grass effectively.
2. Improves soil structure
Well-drained soils are vital to crop health and yield. Here are just some of the key benefits our customers experience:
- Improved soil structure for root development and oxygen supply
- Extended growing or grazing seasons
- Better machinery access and reduced compaction
- Increased tractor efficiency and fuel savings
- Reduced risk of getting stuck in wet patches
- Improved timing for sowing, fertilising, and harvesting
- Fewer cultivation passes required
- Reduced draft forces and wear on machinery
3. Improves crop yields
Well-drained soils directly impact productivity. A recent survey of farmers found that 63% saw significant yield improvements from land drainage, with increases as high as 150% depending on land condition.
Managing Director Andrew Cotterill noted: “In recent years we’ve seen the demand for land drainage increase massively, showing just what impact it can have on crop yields.”
4. Saves you money
Investing in soil structure gives better returns than expensive, short-term solutions. Advanced tech like GPS systems and variable-rate fertilisers won’t perform if your soil isn’t well drained. Drainage provides a long-term, cost-saving solution that continues to pay off.
Land values have risen sharply over the last 15 years, widening the ratio between drainage costs and land value to around 1:10. If poor drainage makes land unfarmable, restoring it costs a fraction of buying new land.
5. Maximises quality
Land drainage doesn’t just boost yields — it improves quality too. One of our customers, David Jones of Hatton Bank Farm in Stratford-upon-Avon, said: “Good land drainage makes the difference between a good and bad crop. A poor crop costs just as much to grow as a good crop. We’ve managed to improve and maintain good soil structure by ensuring our land is well drained.”
Top Tips for Farmers
- Check old land drainage systems to ensure pipes were installed with proper gravel backfill.
- Regularly undertake mole draining above the existing drainage level.
- Maintain ditches and dykes, and inspect drainage outlets frequently.
Where to Go for Expert Advice
Cotterills is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of land drainage products. Our range includes drainage pipe in coils, large diameter pipe, twinwall pipe, and galvanised pipe. All products come with the UK’s longest drainage guarantee.
For advice or a quote, call us on 0121 351 3230.
*Data collected from a drainage survey at the 2016 Cereals Event
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