FARMERS whose land was submerged by seawater during the last winter storms have been receiving advice on how to restore the calcium balance in the worst affected soils.

Areas of Gwynedd were submerged during the high tides and storms, and during a recent farm walk there the advice emerged that Gypsum - aka calcium sulphate can help.

It improves soil drainage if the land is no compacted and should be applied at different rates depending on the soil conditions and quality.

The advice was offered during a farm walk organised by Farming Connect and Gr?p Hyfforddi Ardudwy to one of the farms worst affected by the flooding - Morfa Mawr, a council holding in Llanbedr farmed by John Thomas.

The event investigated the impact of the seawater on the soil and to inform farmers how they can treat it.

Soil samples had been taken by Andrew Jones of Clynderwen and Cardiganshire Farmers Ltd.

John Williams, principal research scientist at ADAS, said sodium in seawater causes the soil to lose its structure. It becomes unstable and cannot drain properly. Calcium helps maintain a good soil structure.

He suggested that gypsum was a good option and should be applied using a conventional lime spreader.

Rainwater can also wash sodium from the soil, but land that has been submerged needs time to dry out before heavy cultivating equipment can be used for reseeding, he said.

Removing settled pools of water from fields was a priority, to allow the areas to dry out.

Mr Williams advised that the worst affected land should be cultivated and organic matter applied such as manure or compost to allow new soil to be formed where sand had covered the previous soil.

He recommended closely monitoring the soil; digging a small hole and examining what is underneath the surface is key to managing soils correctly and optimising productivity, he added.

Farmer, John Thomas thanked Farming Connect for the opportunity to have a specialist to discuss the problems caused by the flooding in January.

“The evening was very successful with a large number of local neighbours present, and many of them were given personal advice by Farming Connect on how to restore their land following the effects of salt water flooding,” he said.

Farming Connect offers a 80% subsidised service towards Soil Sampling and a Nutrient Management Plan.

For further information and guidance how your farm business could benefit, contact your regional Farming Connect coordinator or visit www.menterabusnes.co.uk/farmingconnect or call Elliw Evans on 07772 694116 or email: elliw.evans@menterabusnes.co.uk