Frequently Asked Questions

Will weeds be a problem in skylark patches?

Skylark patches are undrilled areas of crop, they receive the same herbicides as applied to the rest of the field. The patches lack the competition provided by the wheat crop to suffocate weeds. We have found that vegetation levels in patches are different, even within a field, some patches have no cover and others have more. If required the patches can be individually sprayed with a suitable herbicide applied through a knapsack. In bad black-grass fields we would recommend that patches be avoided.

Will plants sown in the margins move out into the field?

So far we have not found this to be the case. Weed problems in the margins have been from the existing seedbank. Docks, Thistle, Hemlock and Bristly ox-tongue have caused problems in some margins but usually where soil conditions are poorer. These weeds can be treated using an appropriate herbicide either with the farm sprayer or through a knapsack.

How should I manage the boundary between the margin and the crop?

In an ideal situation we recommend that the crop should be sown flush with the margin, but we know this is difficult to achieve. There are two other alternatives; a sterile zone sprayed out with a non-selective herbicide or a mown strip.

How can I keep my skylarks safe?

Mammals such as badgers, stoats and rats may raid skylark nests, or may disturb adult birds and chicks. If you place the skylark patches a minimum of 50m from the field edge, smaller mammals will be deterred, although badgers will forage this far into the field. Also keep the patches away from tramlines, which allow mammals easy access to the centre of fields.