ORGANIC SOIL IMPROVER: Providing a full nutritional profile for you soil to make it healthier and more productive
Following an exceptionally dry July and August, the arrival of rainfall across parts of the UK has brought much-needed moisture back to the upper layers of the soil.
For farmers preparing to establish winter cereals, oilseeds and pulses, this change in conditions could provide a valuable opportunity.
Soil temperatures remain relatively warm during early autumn. When sufficient moisture is also available, conditions become more favourable for soil microorganisms and the biological processes that help make nutrients available to growing crops.
Applying Sea2Soil during this early establishment period can support soil biology, crop nutrition and root development—helping winter crops build a stronger foundation before temperatures fall and growth slows.
Successful establishment depends on more than placing seed into moist soil.
Young plants must develop roots, access nutrients and build sufficient biomass to withstand the environmental and biological pressures they may face over winter. This requires a functioning relationship between the crop and the soil microbiome.
Beneficial soil bacteria and fungi help decompose organic materials and convert nutrients into forms that plants can use. They also contribute to soil structure, moisture dynamics and the development of healthy root systems.
However, these biological processes take time and are influenced by conditions in the soil. Temperature and moisture are particularly important.
Applying a soil improver while soils are still warm and moist can help stimulate biological activity when newly germinating crops have rapidly developing nutritional requirements. For winter crops, September and October can therefore offer an important window for application.
Sea2Soil is a fish hydrolysate soil improver that can be utilised by both the soil microbiome and the plant.
It contains naturally balanced amino acids and fatty acids, alongside essential macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. It also provides calcium, magnesium and other trace elements in a bioavailable form.
This combination makes Sea2Soil a valuable food source for soil microorganisms while contributing to the nutritional needs of the growing plant.
Rather than concentrating solely on feeding the crop, its role is to support the wider biological system responsible for cycling nutrients and making them available. This can help create the conditions for stronger roots, healthy early growth and greater tolerance of environmental stress.
Sea2Soil can be incorporated into conventional, regenerative and organic farming systems, either as part of an existing crop nutrition programme or as a foundation on which to build one.
Recent seasons have demonstrated how quickly growing conditions can change.
A prolonged dry period can restrict germination and early root development. Intense or sustained rainfall can then result in waterlogged soils, poorer aeration and narrower windows for fieldwork.
Once a crop is already experiencing stress, the opportunity to influence its establishment may be limited. Supporting soil biology and crop nutrition early allows plants to develop before colder temperatures, saturated soils or pest pressure create additional challenges.
The aim is not simply to encourage rapid top growth. A well-established root system enables the crop to explore a greater volume of soil for water and nutrients, while biologically active soil helps keep those nutrients cycling.
This is especially important for crops such as oilseed rape, where rapid establishment can help plants grow away from damage caused by cabbage stem flea beetle.
In NIAB greenhouse trials, Sea2Soil reduced feeding damage to oilseed rape leaves by 90% 12 days after application. Feeding damage to stems was reduced by 59% after 22 days.
Sea2Soil should not be viewed as a direct control for cabbage stem flea beetle. However, the results indicate that it may have a valuable place within a broader establishment strategy that also considers drilling date, soil moisture, crop nutrition and local pest pressure.
For winter cereals, oilseeds and pulses, Sea2Soil is best applied early, while the crop is germinating or beginning to establish.
It can be used:
pre-drilling, applied directly to the soil;
after drilling but before crop emergence; or
post-emergence, as soon after drilling as conditions allow.
The standard application rate for winter crops is 10L/ha, subject to crop-specific recommendations and agronomic advice.
Sea2Soil is compatible with a range of plant protection and crop nutrition products, allowing it to be incorporated into existing field operations where appropriate. Growers should confirm compatibility before creating any new tank mix and follow the recommended guidance for each product.
There is no single input that can guarantee successful establishment. Seed-bed condition, drilling timing, soil moisture, pest pressure and the weather that follows will all influence crop performance.
However, growers can take steps to give young plants a stronger starting point.
Using the remaining warmth and returning moisture of early autumn to support soil biology can help improve nutrient cycling, root development and crop vigour before winter. It is a proactive approach: building resilience while conditions are favourable, rather than waiting until the crop is under pressure.
With weather patterns becoming increasingly difficult to predict, that capacity to establish strongly and withstand change is likely to become an even more important part of winter crop management.
For crop-specific application guidance and further information about incorporating Sea2Soil into an autumn nutrition programme, visit our Application Guide or speak to your agronomist or distributor.
For generations, farming has worked around seasonal variability. But recent years have brought something much more difficult to manage: increasingly pronounced swings between prolonged heat, dry periods, intense rainfall, waterlogged ground and narrowing windows for fieldwork.
The challenge is no longer simply producing the best crop in a favourable year. It is creating farming systems capable of maintaining performance when conditions are anything but favourable.
That places resilience at the heart of modern crop production.
Resilience can be difficult to quantify. It may mean preserving yield during drought, maintaining soil structure after heavy rainfall or helping plants continue to access nutrients when conditions restrict biological activity. Increasingly, it also means reducing exposure to volatile input costs without compromising crop health.
Whatever form it takes, resilience begins below ground.
Much of the agricultural conversation around resilience understandably focuses on machinery, crop genetics and chemistry. All have an important role. But the biological condition of the soil ultimately influences how effectively crops use water and nutrients, and how well they tolerate stress.
Biologically active soils support nutrient cycling, root development, moisture retention and soil structure. Beneficial bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, earthworms and arthropods form an interconnected system. When that system functions well, nutrients become more accessible to plants and soils are better equipped to cope with environmental pressures.
Without the right soil biology, even a well-managed crop may struggle to fulfil its potential. The implication is significant. Crop nutrition cannot be considered solely in terms of what is applied to the plant. It must also account for the biological system responsible for nutrient availability.
It is tempting to view resilience as a response to a difficult season. In reality, it must be developed over time.
Once soils are waterlogged, crops are suffering from drought or roots are poorly established, the opportunity for corrective action is limited. The stronger strategy is to establish the biological and physical conditions that help soil and plants withstand those pressures before they arise.
This is where soil improvers such as Sea2Soil can contribute. Produced from responsibly sourced fish by-products, Sea2Soil contains naturally balanced amino acids, fatty acids, macronutrients and micronutrients in a bioavailable formulation. Rather than operating simply as another source of nutrition, it feeds soil biology and supports the processes through which nutrients are cycled and made available to crops.
The objective is not to prescribe one rigid system. It is to help create healthier, better-functioning soils across conventional, regenerative and organic farms.
Resilience is too important to become another loosely defined agricultural claim. Solutions need to demonstrate their value across different soils, cropping systems and management approaches.
Pelagia’s research programme has therefore tested Sea2Soil under farm and independent research conditions for more than five years. Participating growers have reported greater biological activity, maintained or improved yields and, in some cases, reduced requirements for synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. Farmers have also observed benefits during periods of drought stress, including improved canopy cover, crop growth and plant verdancy.
Independent research is helping to examine the mechanisms behind those observations.
Work at the University of Nottingham recorded increases in earthworm abundance, organic matter, soil moisture and porosity in non-replicated trials conducted during 2024 and 2025. The treated soil showed an additional 1.85 million earthworms per hectare—five times the control—alongside a 35.8% increase in soil organic matter and a 1.2% increase in soil carbon compared with untreated soil.
Research with NIAB has also explored resilience to biotic pressure. Greenhouse trials found reductions in cabbage stem flea beetle feeding damage of 32% on cotyledons, 90% on leaves and 59% on stems following Sea2Soil treatment.
These findings reinforce an important point: soil resilience is not a single outcome. It encompasses physical structure, biological activity, nutrient availability, water dynamics and a crop’s ability to tolerate environmental and pest pressure.
Paul Davey, Lincolnshire farmer and Arable Innovator of the Year 2021, said: “Sea2Soil is now the base for all my crop nutrition. I use it on all my combinable crops, herbal leys and cover crops. I’ve seen the positive effects of the product. Under dry conditions, which caused many challenges in maintaining plant nutrition and managing crop stress, after applying Sea2Soil in late spring I saw visible benefits. It stimulated increased canopy cover, allowing optimal growth through this period of drought stress, leading to higher yields that season. Two 10 L/ha applications on spring beans in a dry spell improved growth and removed chlorotic symptoms of stress, significantly improving the verdancy of the plants.”
Farmer James Walgate initially used Sea2Soil to feed soil biology rather than the plant itself, applying it at drilling at a rate of 5 L/ha, with a carbon source, seaweed and humic acid. Having had good results as a soil-applied seed drench, he now uses foliar applications as well in the early spring, also at 5 L/ha. He said: “We are building up the soil biology so it can play a role in feeding the plant and keeping crops healthy.”
Applied at a rate of 6 L/ha with humic acid as crops are drilled, Jonathan Hodgson in East Yorkshire has aimed to improve soil biology. In addition to using the product for early foliar applications in certain crops: “I put some onto the oilseed rape in the autumn to see if it could help with flea beetle control and as an effective deterrent.”
No product can remove the uncertainty from farming. Nor can soil health prevent every consequence of extreme weather. But uncertainty makes it more important to build systems with a greater capacity to absorb pressure and recover from it.
That means moving beyond the pursuit of maximum output under ideal conditions. It means considering how soils perform when rainfall is scarce, when fields become saturated or when crops face simultaneous environmental and biological stresses.
“We see Sea2Soil as far more than a natural source of nitrogen, but as a soil prebiotic that leads to a healthier soil environment, an increase in microbial activity, and more resilient crop health. This research gives us vital understanding of how Sea2Soil delivers on yield responses and helps refine our processes to produce a product which reduces reliance on chemical inputs, is environmentally sustainable and is easy to use by farmers,” added Dr Geraldine Fox, Technical Director, Pelagia.
In this context, resilience is not an environmental extra. It is a practical business consideration.
Healthier soils can help growers use nutrients more effectively, establish stronger root systems and maintain crop performance through difficult conditions. They may also support lower reliance on synthetic inputs and create soils that are easier and less costly to work.
The farms best prepared for the coming years will not necessarily be those built around one particular label or farming philosophy. They will be those that understand their soils, measure changes over time and invest in biological function alongside conventional crop management.
The average season may be becoming harder to define. Farming’s response must be to build soils and cropping systems ready for a wider range of possibilities.
Cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) remains one of the biggest barriers to reliable winter oilseed rape (WOSR) establishment. While pressure varies year to year, CSFB is consistently capable of causing significant early plant loss and uneven crops. With fewer effective control tools available, attention is increasingly turning to fundamental changes that can be made during establishment — from prioritising soil health to using integrated approaches that help crops tolerate stress and reduce the impact of early feeding.
Research carried out at NIAB’s greenhouse testing facility in Cambridge has explored whether a fish hydrolysate application could influence CSFB feeding behaviour during the most vulnerable growth stages. The work focused on young, establishing oilseed rape plants and assessed damage to cotyledons, leaves and stems compared to untreated controls.
In the trials, applications of Sea2Soil were associated with reduced feeding damage across multiple plant parts, with NIAB reporting reductions versus untreated plants of 32% on cotyledons, 90% on leaves and 59% on stems.
Importantly, the results suggest timing plays a key role in any potential benefit. Sea2Soil applied at half, full and double field rates, with a full field rate for WOSR referenced as 10L/ha, showed a significant reduction in CSFB feeding on cotyledons within two days of application. The same application rates were also linked to lower cotyledon feeding damage for up to seven days after application, with indications that this cover may last until cotyledons senesce.
Adrian Harris, NIAB Lead Researcher, commented: “Sea2Soil showed a significant reduction in the feeding of cabbage stem flea beetles on cotyledons within two days of application – several different rates showed a reduction in feeding damage up to seven days after application and may convey cover until they senesce.”
The NIAB findings form part of Sea2Soil’s wider research and development programme, which has seen the product involved in collaborative research with a number of leading UK organisations over a four-year period. This long-term trials work has been important in building a clearer picture of Sea2Soil’s wider role in soil health, plant growth and crop resilience.
Guy Gibson, trials agronomist at Enhanced Efficacy, said long-term trials work, high-quality research and key indicators are crucial to assessing the overall success of Sea2Soil as a soil improver and improving understanding of the product’s wider capabilities.
Although this latest work is focused on pest feeding, it sits within a broader conversation about building establishment resilience. Early season crop performance is tightly linked to nutrition availability, root development and soil function, particularly where crops face multiple stresses at once, including drought, waterlogging, pest pressure and disease risk.
Sea2Soil’s wider impact on soil activity and biology is already being explored through indicators such as worm counts, pH, carbon retention, organic matter, soil moisture and porosity. These wider soil-health benefits are particularly relevant as growers look for approaches that can support resilient crop establishment across conventional, regenerative and organic farming systems.
Liz Brown, Sales Manager at Pelagia, added: “We see Sea2Soil as far more than a natural source of nitrogen and amino acids, but as a soil prebiotic that leads to a healthier soil environment, better crop health and confers increased resilience to environmental and other crop stresses which are becoming more prevalent in UK farming season on season.”
With volatility continuing across global markets, disruption to UK fertiliser costs and supply into 2027 remains a live concern. As a UK-sourced and manufactured input that supports nitrogen and amino acid supply as well as soil biology, Sea2Soil offers farmers an alternative solution ahead of the autumn season — not only to help minimise the potential impact of these global issues on yield, but also on input costs and margins.
For growers and Sea2Soil’s UK distribution partners, the NIAB findings offer a useful addition to the evidence base around establishment support in winter oilseed rape. The Sea2Soil team is also planning to extend its research trials in the 2026/27 season, continuing to explore how fish hydrolysate applications can support crop resilience at key establishment timings.
Spring finally feels as though it has arrived, but with many fields coming into the season off the back of wet winter weather that saturated soils, managing and improving soil biology, now, is a top priority.
With conditions improving, farmers are being presented with the opportunity to boost soil health and optimise nutrition early in newly growing crops. Unlocking underground activity is essential when it comes to optimising soil health; future success doesn’t always start where you can see it!
Soil testing in spring can be a good way to determine the state of soils and help growers identify the levels of bacteria, fungi and protozoa in soils to give an indication of the health of their underground livestock. Taking this view ahead of spring management work is also being seen to help offset overheads traditionally spent on synthetic fertilisers.
There’s no escaping the volatility of fertiliser prices currently, with reports far and wide reflecting how geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to intensify their impact on market value. The disruption of supply chains into the UK is a distinct possibility, meaning premiums have increased across gas, oil and freight markets. And, with the UK being highly dependent on the Middle East for key input imports, especially fertiliser, there are risks that costs could increase as production reduces, ultimately impacting prices and margins for farmers tied into fertiliser-dependent cropping systems.
Will Marris, Regenerative Agronomist & Soil Consultant at Terrafarmer, said: “With the recent sharp rise in nitrogen price, improving efficiency this season will be vital. Soil improvers, in my case Sea2Soil, help by feeding amino acids into the soil and plants, and feed biology to help with nutrient cycling. We have used Sea2Soil for a number of years at Terrafamer and have always been impressed with the results. Last year, we put it to the test during the Terrafarmer Biologicals Project on 5 farms across Wales. It showed good improvements to soil biological indicators, alongside forage quality and leaf nutrient content. At the farm at home and other customers’ farms, I have found Sea2Soil drives clover growth in grass/clover or diverse leys. Applying S2S seems to drive clover above-ground biomass, but more importantly, drives nodulation (nodule formation and size, alongside the trace minerals, calcium/boron/molybdenum, required to fix atmospheric N into plant available forms) to increase clover’s N fixation. Sea2Soil has become a vital component in my foliar nitrogen mixes, providing a carbon source to buffer the urea and feed plant available amino acids into the leaf to drive growth and, more importantly, nitrogen use efficiency. In an arable context, I use it as part of my pest management strategy, for example, 10L/Ha at 2-3 leaf in cereals to help manage aphids and prime soil biology, alongside balanced nutrition. If farmers are looking to try a foliar nitrogen approach, then the addition of a product like this one is a fundamental part of a successful system.”
For cereals and oilseeds, fertiliser is one of the highest variable costs for crop production, and if fertiliser prices were to rise sharply, farm application rates could decrease as a result, potentially impacting yields and margins. Grass-based dairy or beef systems also remain exposed to fertiliser price volatility. One way in which growers could shield their farm businesses from these threats or lessen the impact is to apply a soil improver, such as Sea2Soil, to reduce the amount of synthetic NPK fertiliser required for each crop, as Grant James, Business Development Consultant for Sea2Soil explains: “Overall synthetic fertiliser reductions of up to 20-25% are realistic and possible in many situations through careful and planned use of Sea2Soil in a programmed approach. In some systems, where other regenerative and biological approaches are combined, reductions in fertiliser use could become even higher. Vitally, the health of the soil is improved at the same time, which is invaluable, so it’s a great option for growers.”
Products like Sea2Soil can be a good choice for feeding both crops and soil microorganisms, such as beneficial bacteria, which in turn release additional soil nutrients to continue feeding growing crops. Revitalising biological activity in soils fosters an environment in treated soils where beneficials, including earthworms, thrive, helping improve soil aeration, release nutrients in bioavailable form to plants, increase plant resilience to stress, and promote healthy crop growth.
This is not a flash-in-the-pan solution; the process can take time, depending on soil conditions, moisture and temperature. In most spring crops, it is far better to apply the product while the crop is young and first establishing, to provide an optimal boost of essential nutrition exactly when the crop really needs it.
As a useful source of key macronutrients and micronutrients, the right product can also help counter any leaching losses of soil nutrients like nitrogen and sulphur over the winter period, where surface water or saturated topsoil can wash away vital nutrition held in upper soils layers. These upper layers which hold the phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon will help overwintered crops or newly sown spring crops kickstart their spring growth or establishment. More farmers are starting to use the product very cost-effectively to reduce N fertiliser inputs, help soils thrive and reduce crop stress.
James Bucher, of Bucher Farms in Suffolk, added: “We’ve had great success in reducing our synthetic inputs with fish hydrolysate. As a multi-nutrient organic fertiliser and soil feed, it really suits our regenerative farming system. At Knettishall, we apply fish hydrolysate several times through the spring/early summer; we see positive crop responses and many more earthworms than we had before we started using it.”
Colin Chappell, of Chappell Farms in North Lincolnshire, commented: “We use fish hydrolysate in three ways. The main one has traditionally been to 'apologise' for moving the soil. In the early transitional years of direct drilling, when there may be a need for low-disturbance subsoiling, we need to feed soil microbes so they don't begin to destroy soil organic matter. You are providing them with another food source. Once through that stage, we are attempting to correct the soil microdome from one that has become bacterial dominant to one where you enable protozoa to feed on the bacteria, creating a more balanced or even fungal-dominant structure, again by feeding the soil microbes. We do this by adding Sea2Soil to a cocktail that can be placed around the seed at drilling. Thirdly, we have noticed how quickly plants absorb fish hydrolysate as a food source. Unlike artificial fertiliser, which has to be processed within the plant and thus has an initial energy-hungry phase, weakening cell structures, Sea2Ssoil, with its high volume of amino acids, quickly gets into the crop and can rectify deficiencies and combat things like cabbage stem flea beetle in oilseed rape. By creating a more balanced plant, the need for higher volumes of nitrate can be offset.”
A fish hydrolysate, packed with natural amino acids and fatty acids derived from its natural fish oil content, Sea2Soil is rich in essential nutrients N (5% organic Nitrogen equivalent to several KG/ha of synthetic Nitrgoen), P and K, and also provides calcium, magnesium and other trace elements in bioavailable form, establishing a good basis for crop nutritional plans to suit all farming systems; conventional, organic or regenerative.
Versatility and ease of use are crucial to successful take-up of the product, continues Grant: “Being compatible in tank mix with a wide range of plant protection products and the ability to apply multiple applications during the growing season ensures flexibility for growers. In winter-sown crops, a split timing approach of autumn followed by early spring has been the most effective. In spring-sown crops, applying pre-drilling, pre-emergence or as soon after drilling as possible works very well.”
Making the most of organic materials, like the fish hydrolysate found in Sea2Soil, is already proving a beneficial step for growers looking to balance the real risks associated with the cost and availability of synthetic fertilisers this season.
Terrafarmer-run farm trials, funded through an Innovate UK research project, are testing and comparing a range of different biological stimulants applied to grassland. Results so far have shown their potential to reduce inputs and improve grass quality.
How has Sea2Soil performed?
Sea2Soil fish hydrolysate delivers a wide range of plant-available amino acids, macronutrients and trace elements to both the crop and soil. Sea2Soil performed very highly in all trial measurements taken, including giving increases in kilograms of dry matter (DM)/ha, crude protein, trace element availability, and microbial biomass, when compared with a control treatment.
According to regenerative agronomist and soil consultant Will Marris at Terrafarmer, a number of products tested (including Sea2Soil) are improving crude proteins and sugar. “If that goes into a silage clamp, you’ve got more sugars for the fermentation process. If you get a better fermentation, you get better-quality forage.”
Out of 7 biological product treatments tested in the trials (over 7 different farm sites), Sea2Soil ranked No.1 and performed highest for crude protein improvement (at 136.225 g/kg) compared to all other products and the control treatment. Sea2Soil also ranked No.3 out of all treatments for improving microbial biomass in mid-season assessments taken. Each farm trial site used large 20 x 160m strips to test all treatments and baseline analysis measurements were taken for all products tested for comparative purposes.
Sea2Soil fish hydrolysate, as a naturally high source of protein and carbohydrate, is a perfect choice for improving soil biology. “By feeding the beneficial underground livestock in the soil i.e. the bacteria and fungi, these in turn are helping with the mobilisation of vital trace minerals such as boron, manganese, and magnesium,” says Grant James, Business Development Manager, Sea2Soil.
Soil, leaf, and forage tests from the trials show more of those nutrients being readily plant-available moving from the soil into the leaf, and therefore into the forage. “This could even reduce the need to supplement trace minerals given to livestock through licks or drenches,” suggests Will.
How biologicals like Sea2Soil work to benefit plants
Traditional fertilisers such as urea or ammonium nitrate prills have an efficiency rate of about 50%. By contrast, solubilised and foliar-applied alternatives can be almost twice as efficient, so less nitrogen is needed. “If foliar nitrogen is applied with biologicals such as molasses, fish hydrolysate, and fulvic acid, nitrogen use efficiency is improved, as you’re applying plant-available nitrogen to the leaf, which is a more direct route into the plant. That’s safer for the plant, but also beneficial and safer for the soil,” explains Will. “You’re feeding the plant and the soil at the same time, and the nitrogen doesn’t get lost via volatilisation or tied up in the carbon and nitrogen cycles in the soil.”
By applying biological and soluble fertilisers like Sea2Soil, farmers can build soil function and fertility, carbon and organic matter, all generally at reduced cost. “Biologicals are inherently more sustainable than a manufactured synthetic nitrogen source,” continues Will. “We’re not saying don’t use any, just try to use a bit less and make it more efficient.”
Valuable cost savings being realised
Using biological and foliar fertilisers can also bring significant cost savings. For example, a grass-based, multicut system might use 250kg/ha of nitrogen. Based on a standard urea application, using a 46% urea product, at a cost of 46p/kg, the cost would be £115/ha. Will explains: “Where we have added in two biological products, molasses and fish hydrolysate (Sea2Soil), to the foliar nitrogen mix, we had a saving of £5/ha,” he says. “A total cost of £110/ha to get a more efficient form of nitrogen into the plant, while reducing nitrogen use by 20%, is quite significant – and you’re feeding the soil.” He adds that nitrogen application rates can, over time, be reduced even further.
“You could easily reduce inputs starting at 25% to 50%, but that wants to be done over a few years in a managed reduction,” he advises. In addition, there is the potential for farmers to save on inputs such as mineral supplements because of the improved flow of nutrients from soil to forage with Sea2Soil and other biologicals.
Timing of application is important
The time of day and weather conditions can make a significant difference to the effectiveness of biologicals and foliar nitrogen, Will says: “If you’re looking at foliar nitrogen plus biologicals, it’s important to time your application right. Early in the morning is a good time, because that’s when the stomata are open.”
He adds that in the morning, especially, the plant will not be overly stressed, so is better at taking in the product, leading to greater efficiencies. While temperature is an important consideration, UV index and humidity should be considered first when applying biological fertilisers and foliar applications.
“When you have a high UV index, the plant is conserving moisture, and it’s not going to want to take in any nutrition,” says Will. “So the biological fertiliser or soluble nitrogen will sit on the leaf and can scorch or burn it, particularly if you’ve got urea in there. It’s best to apply these when the UV index is low and humidity is high. Humidity means moisture, and that means stomata are open to take in these products.”
Sea2Soil recommends applying the product to grassland in 2 or 3 split applications in early spring, mid-spring and late-spring or early summer, and it is also worth taking into consideration grazing cycles as well, so product application is timed around those periods, as Grant explains: “For grassland and herbal leys, applying Sea2Soil at 10 L/ha just before the start of the active spring growth period sets a good baseline and then follow-up with at least one repeat application in May.”
Multiple Sea2Soil foliar applications of 5-10 L/ha can be made in the season up to 3-6 times a year, and Terrafarmer trials work is showing that a ‘little but often’ approach to applications can work well in many grassland situations.
For more information about trials work with Sea2Soil or about using the product this season, please contact Grant James directly.
T: 07976 879646
Acknowledgments: Sea2Soil would like to acknowledge Terrafarmer Innovate-UK trials work and
FW / FWi 04 Nov 2025 article ‘Biological Stimulants: Are they good for grassland?’, read the full article here.
Keeping winter crops healthy to set up well for early spring 2026 looks to be even more vital this season given the very rapid establishment and initial crop growth around UK farms this autumn.
Winter crops including cereals, oilseeds and pulses have established extremely well on the whole this season in response to being drilled into good seedbeds, with sufficient moisture and relatively mild temperatures, which encouraged rapid germination and early growth conditions.
This pronounced early growth and extra plant biomass that many crops now have will need careful subsequent management over the coming winter period, especially as they head into early spring next year. Forward crops can very easily suffer as they come out of winter if sufficient nutrition, a healthy soil environment and soil microbiome is lacking.
A critical stage for crop growth and development, ensuring good soil health and correct plant nutrition before the onset of new spring growth will be essential to enhance and protect yields and profitability. All in the hope of avoiding a repeat of lower yielding crops in 2025.
Of course, we cannot predict what the weather will do next year but, experience tells us that increasing the health and resilience of our soils, through use of soil amendments like Sea2Soil, is getting more important each year as we see changing climatic patterns. Helping crops through difficult periods and extremes of drought, heat or flooding is a part of farm management that is becoming more vital.
“Feeding the soil is part and parcel of feeding the crops. Ensuring good soil health by applying Sea2Soil in early spring feeds the underground livestock in our soils, fostering beneficial microorganisms like bacteria, fungi and protozoa, and earthworms, which in turn help support more resilient crops,” says Grant James, UK Business Development Manager, Sea2Soil.
Split applications of Sea2Soil are recommended for all winter crops in both early autumn and early spring. This coincides with some of the most important periods in a crop’s life, where the first 30-60 days help a crop establish, develop shoots and roots in autumn before the main phase of growth and development in the crop kicks in during the early spring, once soil and air temperatures begin to rise after winter.
“Sea2Soil promotes a biologically active soil substrate, so the soil has better aeration, can retain moisture and releases nutrients in a bio-available form to plants, contributing to better stress tolerance in plants and promoting healthy growth of crops,” explains Grant James.
Cereal crops in particular can be vulnerable at these key stages if sufficient nutrition and soil health is not in place in soils to support them. Application of Sea2Soil is versatile and can be combined with other inputs such as early T0 spring fungicides, early spring herbicides or other crop nutrition applications.
Sea2Soil fish hydrolysate is a versatile soil improver that can be utilised by both the soil microbiome and the plant directly and contains a full range of naturally balanced amino acids and fatty acids. Rich in essential macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, the product also provides vital micronutrients like calcium, magnesium and other trace elements in a bioavailable formulation, establishing a good basis for any crop nutritional plan. All these nutrients play a critical role in plant growth and development phases in the spring, flowering and yield-set. Helping the soil early this spring really will help the crops deliver healthier growth, yields and quality.
To find out more about early spring applications of Sea2Soil in either winter crops or ahead of establishing spring crops, please contact Grant James:
T: 07976 879646
In Episode six of The Sea2Soil Podcast, Grant sits down with Bulgarian grower and agribusiness expert, Marian Dichevski, to talk about farming through drought, making pragmatically regenerative choices, and where biology‑centred nutrition fits in a modern system.
Across Bulgaria - and much of Eastern Europe - farms often span hundreds to thousands of hectares. In recent years, drought and heat have tightened their grip, putting staple crops like wheat, maize, and sunflower under pressure. It is pushing growers to rethink established practices and look for resilient, biology‑friendly ways to keep crops performing.
Marian’s view is clear: avoid swinging from full conventional to full no‑till overnight. Trial changes field by field. Where soils are tight or stratified, minimum or strip till can open the door for roots and biology without overworking the ground. Cover crops have a role, but only where moisture budgets allow. The brief is simple: choose the right tool, at the right time, for your soil.
Key takeaways:
Post‑war agriculture leaned heavily on synthetic fertilisers. Marian argues that over‑reliance can dilute plant sap, lower brix, and open the door to pests and disease - especially in dry years. A biology‑first approach focuses on feeding microbes and supplying nitrogen in the forms plants can use with less energy cost.
What that means in practice:
Marian highlights the role of fish hydrolysate as a practical, biology‑forward input. Applied in‑furrow at drilling or as a timely foliar, amino acid‑rich nutrition supports early root development, feeds microbial life, and can help reduce the plant’s energy burden compared with nitrate‑heavy programmes.
Potential benefits:
When moisture is scarce, every input concentrates faster in the soil. Keeping biology alive and roots exploring is non‑negotiable. That means gentle soil movement, smart residue management, and nutrition that plants can metabolise efficiently.
Practical pointers for dry seasons:
Marian brings grounded, real‑farm context to a challenge many growers share: producing consistent crops when water is the true limiting factor. If you’re weighing up cultivations, cover crops, and biology‑first nutrition, this episode is for you.
Tune in to Episode Six on Spotify and YouTube, launching on Thursday, 23rd October at 10am.
One of the most common questions we hear from farmers exploring regenerative agriculture is: “How long will it take before I see results?”
The honest answer, as soil educator Joel Williams shares in Episode 4 of The Sea2Soil Podcast, is that building soil health is not a quick fix - it’s a journey of continual improvement.
Most soils have reached their current condition after years of intensive management, nutrient offtake, and disturbance. Reversing that trajectory naturally takes time. Joel explains that while some benefits can be seen sooner, meaningful change generally occurs within a three-to-five-year transition period. Think of it less as a destination and more as a new way of farming that steadily pays back year on year.
Early boosts in biology: Adding organic amendments like fish hydrolysates or seaweed extracts can quickly stimulate microbial activity.
Improved rooting: Autumn applications of amino acids help winter crops establish stronger root systems.
Signs of resilience: Even within the first couple of seasons, farmers may notice better plant vigour or less stress in dry spells.
Soil structure improvements: As biology gets to work, soils start forming stronger aggregates, improving infiltration and water-holding.
Nutrient cycling kicks in: Locked-up nutrients become more available thanks to increased microbial activity.
Reduced input reliance: Many farmers worldwide report comfortably reducing synthetic nitrogen inputs by 20–30% at this stage, with some pasture systems going further.
Soil regeneration doesn’t stop at year five. With consistent application of soil health principles, minimising disturbance, maintaining cover, integrating livestock, and embracing diversity, farmers can continue to build resilience, fertility, and profitability for decades. Joel describes it as a lifelong journey: each year offering new opportunities to reduce the “baddies” (tillage, overuse of chemicals) and do more of the “goodies” (biology-building practices).
It’s easy to become impatient when trying something new, especially if you’re used to quick responses from synthetic fertilisers. But regenerative farming is about building lasting soil function, not chasing instant results. By framing it as a multi-year transition, you set yourself up to measure progress in seasons and systems, not in weeks.
Hear more from Joel Williams on the timescales of soil regeneration in Episode 4 of The Sea2Soil Podcast.