B AC K F RO M T H E B R I N K M A N AG E M E N T S E R I E S

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Arable Plantsa management guide

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Plantlife International – The Wild Plant Conservation Charity14 Rollestone Street, Salisbury,Wiltshire, SP1 1DX

Telephone: +44 (0) 01722 342730 Fax: +44 (0) 01722 329035enquiries@plantlife.org.uk www.plantlife.org.uk

ISBN: 978-1-907141-06-5 ©2009Plantlife International – The Wild Plant Convervation Charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee.

Registered Charity Number: 1059559. Registered Company Number: 3166339.

For more information on the conservation ofarable plants visit the website

www.arableplants.org.uk

B AC K F RO M T H E B R I N K M A N AG E M E N T S E R I E S

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Over 150 wild plants are characteristic ofthe arable environment and togethermake up the most threatened group offlora in Britain.From real rarities like Red Hemp-nettle(Galeopsis angustifolia) to more widespreadspecies like Venus’s-looking-glass (Legousiahybrida), the future of this unique flora dependson the people who manage arable farmland.

Many of these species have cultural andhistoric importance, Pheasant’s-eye (Adonisannua) for example was gathered in largequantities in the late 18th century from theSussex Downs and sold at Covent Garden asa cut flower. And who doesn’t know theshade of ‘cornflower’ blue?

Arable plants are also the food for a uniquesuite of insects, and provide food for seed-eating birds and mammals. Birds such asLinnet,Tree Sparrow, Corn Bunting and YellowHammer depend on seed food, particularly

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DOYOU FARM INANARABLE PLANT HOTSPOT?

This Plantlife guide shows how, with little cost, effort or impact on yield, conditionscan be provided that will allow some of the UK’s most threatened wild plants toflourish alongside a clean arable crop.

� Grey Partridge chicks depend on the caterpillar’s, beetles and bugs that feed on these wild plants

� The richest (red) and other most significant

(orange) areas for arable plants in the UK

through the winter.Wild plants provide anexcellent source and the variation of plantspecies improves the longevity of supply.

Sowing arable flower seed is notthe answer . . .

Wild plant species are local to different areasof Britain. It is important that the natural‘floral profile’ of our counties and farmland isnot distorted by commercial seed mixes whichoften contain non-native species. Arablespecies are wild plants and should be treatedas such. Many have long-lived seed that cansurvive until the right management conditionsare in place. For example, Rough Marsh-mallow (Althaea hirsuta) seeds can remainviable in the soil for over 180 years. If you arein an arable plant hotspot there is a goodchance that, even if you haven’t seen manyinteresting plants on your farm for some time,you may have dormant seed simply waiting forthe right conditions to flourish.

Arable plants have a distinct relationshipwith soil and climate, as well as thehistoric management of the land.Where favourable conditions havecome together this has lead to theformation of hotspots of diversityacross Britain. If you’re farming oradvising on the management of land inone of these hotspots, it is possible thatdormant seed of rare species may belying undisturbed on your land.Please consider managing a fewareas on your farm to encourage there-appearance of these rare wild plantsand help support the wildlife thatdepends upon them.

The majority of uncommon specieshave retreated south and, with a fewexceptions, few can be found northof Yorkshire. However parts of thesouth-east and south-west are stillspecies rich. Key hotspots include:

● chalk between Salisbury and Basingstokeand in south Cambridgeshire

● heavy calcareous soils of the mid-Somerset hills

● the coasts of south-west England and Wales,particularly parts of the Cornish coast

● the Breckland of Suffolk and Norfolk

Anyone farming in a red or orange areacould have an important arableflora simply waiting for anopportunity to bloom.

MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS

The majority of arable plants are annualsand so are well suited to the regularcultivation of traditional farming rotations.To thrive, they need annual ground disturbance ineither spring or autumn, depending on preferredgermination timing; minimal competition from acrop (either an unfertilised crop or no crop sownat all) and no application of herbicides.The highsusceptibility to herbicides of many of thesespecies is a major reason for their decline.

Providing suitable conditions is thereforerelatively straightforward.The more difficultaspects are, firstly, locating a rich seed bank thatwill benefit from management; and, secondly,controlling the perennial and grass weeds thatwill also thrive under this management regime.

Britain’s most threatened arable plants:Here are some characteristics to consider whentrying to manage (germination time, so whenideally to cultivate) or identify (flowering time,best stage for identification) these rare species.They have been grouped by preferred soil type,

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Species Germination time –Ideal cultivation time Flowering time Soil particulars

Corncockle Not Seasonal June – August Sandy loamsAnnual Knawel Autumn June – August Dry, sandy lime free soilAnnual Vernal-grass Unknown June – October Sandy loams and sandsBreckland Speedwell Autumn March – May Calcareous sandsCornflower Autumn June – August Sandy loamsFingered Speedwell Autumn March – May Sandy, calcareous soilsMartin’s Ramping-fumitory Spring & Summer June – August Sandy loamsPurple Viper’s-bugloss Autumn to Spring June – September Sandy loamsRed-tipped Cudweed Autumn/Winter July – October Sands and sandy loamsSmall Alison Autumn May – June Sandy soilsSmall-flowered Catchfly Autumn & Spring June – October Sandy loamsSpring Speedwell Autumn May – September Sandy, calcareous soilsCommon Ramping-fumitory Spring & Autumn June – October Free draining and acidic loamsCorn Marigold Autumn June – August Sandy and sandy loam soilsCorn Spurrey Spring & Autumn June – August Well drained sandy soilsSmaller Tree-mallow Autumn June – July Sandy, stony loamsSmooth Cat’s-ear Autumn June – October Non-calcareous sandsWeasel’s-snout Spring June – August Sandy loamsPurple Ramping-fumitory Autumn, Spring and into Summer April – August Sandy loamsWestern Ramping-fumitory Autumn May – October Sandy loams

� Margin at Ranscombe – new populations of

Ground-pine (Ajuga chamaepitys) and Broad-

leaved Cudweed (Filago pyramidata) regenerated

within a few months of suitable management

after years of intensive herbicide use.

as they either favour sands and freely drainingacidic soils or chalk and limestone derived soils,although some would be happy in either.Thereare also a few that have been singled out due totheir specialist requirements.

Sandy and free draining acidic soils

Species Germination time –Ideal cultivation time Flowering time Soil particulars

Corn Buttercup Autumn May – June Heavy clay soilsCorn Cleavers Autumn June – August Calcareous clay loamsRed Hemp-nettle Spring July – September Light chalky soilsShepherd’s-needle Autumn & Spring May – June Heavy calcareous clay loamsBroad-fruited Cornsalad Spring & Autumn June – August Calcareous soils and claysCorn Gromwell Autumn & Spring May – July Lime-rich clay and light chalky soilsField Cow-wheat Autumn June – September Thin soils over chalk, calcareous claysGround-pine Autumn & Spring May – October Thin soils, over chalkNarrow-fruited Cornsalad Spring June – August Light calcareous loamsPheasant’s-eye Autumn & Spring June – July Calcareous silty and clay loamsSpreading Hedge-parsley Autumn July – August Clays and calcareous clay loamsCut-leaved Germander Unknown July – September Thin soils over chalk and Jurassic limestoneFew-flowered Fumitory Spring June – August Chalky loamsFine-leaved Fumitory Spring June – August Chalky loamsMousetail Autumn May – July Wet clay soilsPerfoliate Pennycress Autumn March – May Calcareous clay loamsRye Brome Autumn June – July Mainly heavy clay loamsSlender Tare Autumn June – August Calcareous clay loamsStinking Chamomile Autumn July – September Loamy and clay soilsWild Candytuft Autumn May – August Chalky soilsYellow Vetchling Autumn June – August Calcareous and clay loamsRough Marsh-mallow Autumn May – July Open, shallow soilsCat-mint Autumn June – September Calcareous loams

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Chalk and limestone derived soils (including clay)

Species Germination time –Ideal cultivation time Flowering time Soil particulars

Upright Goosefoot Spring August – September Light sandy loams and clay soilsBroad-leaved Cudweed Autumn & Spring July – August Chalk, sometimes sandy soilsCorn Chamomile Autumn June – July Chalky or sandy soilsFalse Cleavers Spring July – September Sandy loams and clay soilsGrass-poly Spring June – July Water retentive soils – wet in winter and

dries out in springGreater Yellow-rattle Autumn June – July Light loam soilsHenbane Spring June – August Sandy loams and clay soilsLarge-flowered Hemp-nettle Spring July – September Moist loamy soilsNettle-leaved Goosefoot Spring July – October Light sandy loams and clay soilsNight-flowered Catchfly Spring & Autumn July – September Light chalky or sandy loamsPrickly Poppy Autumn & Spring June - July Free draining chalk and sandy loams2

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Can be found on either soil type or have specialist ecological needs

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B AC K F RO M T H E B R I N K M A N AG E M E N T S E R I E S

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WHERETO SITE CONSERVATION MARGINSAND PLOTS

Weed competition: sites that have a heavyweed burden of cleavers, grass weeds, docksand thistles will be difficult to manage withoutsignificant herbicide use and any uncommonspecies that may occur will find it difficult tocompete with these dominant species. Suchsites shoud be avoided.

Indicator species: select sites where a goodvariation of broadleaved weeds is known tooccur. Characteristic indicator species of apotentially rich flora on sandy soils wouldinclude Thyme-leaved Sandwort, Corn Spurreyand Common Stork’s-bill and, on chalky soils,Venus’s-looking-glass, Small Toadflax, Roundand Sharp-leaved Fluellen and Dwarf Spurge.These species will usually occur along withother common and widespread species suchas Knotgrass, Field Pansy and Common andLong-headed Poppy.

MANAGING FORARABLE PLANTS USINGAGRI-ENVIRONMENTSCHEME OPTIONS

diversity of a margin, the timing and depth(e.g. a variation of ploughing to 15cm androtivating/power harrowing to 5cm) ofcultivation should be varied every 2-3years – implementing a mixed croprotation will provide this variation.

● Cultivated margins are simple to establishand maintain using existing farmmachinery. Ploughing and secondarycultivation is preferable to a minimal tillagesystem as is likely to bring up more seedfrom the seed bank and help control grassweeds.

Field Margins:

● In most fields, any remaining species-richseed banks will be restricted to field edges,which is why the outer 3-6m margin of afield is the best place to focus management.Conveniently this outer margin is generallythe lowest yielding for arable crops.Focusing on this outer edge allows the restof the crop to be managed conventionally.

● Cultivate plots and margins with the restof the field for ease of management androtate around the farm as necessary to fitwith cropping pattern and autumn andspring rotation. In order to maximise the

Key site characteristics to consider:

Farming history: land that has a longhistory of continual cultivation – ideally datingback at least 100 years – is more likely tohave a diverse flora.

Soil type: most arable plants prefer light, welldrained sandy or chalky soil that is relativelylow in fertility.These soils usually carry higherseed bank diversity and lower weed burden,although some heavier soils can hold particularspecies of interest e.g. Corn Buttercup.

Topography and aspect: generally opensites away from heavy shading with a sunny,south-facing aspect are more species rich,particularly at the top of slopes where the soilis often thinner with exposed, underlying rockand less fertile subsoil.

� Conservation headland sited on light chalky soil with a low weed burden, in an open site away

from trees

� Common

Stork’s-bill

� Corn Spurrey

�� Round and

Sharp-leaved

Fluellen

� Small Toadflax

� Thyme-leaved Sandwort

� Dwarf Spurge

� Venus’s-looking-glass

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Cultivated, uncropped margins or plots:

targeted broad-spectrum herbicides can beused, once annual species have set seed(typically September). Margins can also berotated around the farm to avoid the buildup of pernicious weeds but should belocated in a target species site at least oneyear in three to benefit the target species.

● Within Higher Level Stewardship, thismanagement can be located in larger plots –either specifically targeted for arable flora orindirectly benefiting from similar conditionsprovided by plots for ground nesting birds,specifically Stone Curlew plots.

● Cultivate an arable field margin annuallyalong with the rest of the crop in springor autumn to a depth of approximately15cm, establishing a firm, fine tilth.WithinEnvironmental Stewardship (ES), marginscan be 3-6m wide; under Tir Gofal (TG)margins can range from 4-12m.

● No routine application of herbicides orfertiliser.

● Scheme prescriptions allow spot sprayingto control injurious weeds and invasivealien species. Under ES, where a severepernicious weed burden becomes an issue,

The most suitable options within agri-environment schemes:England Entry Level Stewardship EF11 Uncropped, cultivated margins for rare

plants on arable landHigher Level Stewardship HF20 Cultivated fallow plots or margins for

arable plantsWales Tir Gofal Option 29 Uncropped fallow margins alongside

arable and root cropsScotland Rural Stewardship Scheme n/aNI Countryside Management Scheme n/a

2m CrossCompliance Buffer

Cultivated, uncropped margin rangingfrom 3-6m (ES) or 4-12m (TG)

Conventionally managedarable crop

Stone Curlew plots can provide suitable conditions for arable plants to flourish – attracting insects

that farmland birds can feed upon.

Conservation Headlands (harvested or left standing over winter):

● Sow and manage a 6-24m wide headlandalong the edge of a cereal crop.

● Manage the headland without applicationof fertiliser or manure. Under ES, selectiveherbicides can be used to controlproblem grass and broad-leaved weedsand there should be no application ofinsecticides between 15 March and thefollowing harvest. Under the RuralStewardship Scheme, herbicides orinsecticides may only be applied on priorwritten agreement of Scottish Ministers.

● Where weed growth threatens the crop, apre-harvest desiccant can be used underES prescriptions.

● Conservation headlands can be rotatedaround the farm to follow the crop rotationand also prevent problem weed build-up asa result of the minimal spray programme.

● There is the option under Entry LevelStewardship to harvest headlands asnormal with the rest of the crop (EF9) orleave standing over the winter in order toprovide winter bird food and cover (EF10).

2m CrossCompliance Buffer

Conservation Headland – unfertilised rangingfrom 6-24m (ES)

Harvested or left standing over winter

Conventionally managedarable crop

The most suitable options within agri-environment schemes:England Entry Level Stewardship EF9 Unfertilised cereal headlands within

arable fieldsEF10 Unharvested cereal headlands withinarable fields

Higher Level Stewardship HF14 Unharvested, fertiliser-free conservationheadlands

Wales Tir Gofal n/aScotland Rural Stewardship Scheme 22. Management Conservation HeadlandsNI Countryside Management Scheme n/a

The ES scheme allows conservation headlands

to be left standing over winter – extending the

growing season for arable plants and providing

winter bird food.

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2-3m cultivated, unsownmargin allows wild plantsto flourish and provide

dust bathing andfeeding habitat for

farmland birds

Game cover crop or wild bird seed mix managed with minimal inputs 2-3m cultivated, unsownmargin allows wild

plants to flourish andprovide dust bathing

and feeding habitat forfarmland birds

Other management options (outside of agri-environment schemes) that willbenefit arable flora

You don’t have to commit to a specificmanagement option under an agri-environmentscheme to allow the co-existence of clean, highyielding crops and wild arable plants on yourfarm. Small changes at targeted sites canprovide the opportunities required for wildplants to flourish.

● Narrow (1-2m) cultivated, uncroppedmargins, managed without inputs at targetpriority sites can provide the necessary safehaven rare plants require.The key issuereally is to target, in order that highlylocalised management can deliver.

● At targeted sites for rare species, shutting offhalf the spray boom and fertiliser spreadercan be sufficient to allow arable flora toflourish within a more open crop canopy.

● Game cover crops or wild bird seed mixcan provide ideal conditions for arableplants to flourish and supply an additionalfood source for birds and insects ifmanaged with minimal inputs.To furtherimprove their value, leave a 2m margin atthe ends of cover crops or plots of birdseed mix, cultivating but not sowing acrop.This not only provides ideal

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Whole crop approach:

Organic farming, or other low-intensityregimes, such as low-input spring crops andsummer fallows can increase the diversity ofplant and insect life throughout the crop. Each

The most suitable options within agri-environment schemes:England Entry Level Stewardship n/a

Higher Level Stewardship HF15 Reduced herbicide cereal crop precedingoverwintered stubbleHG7 Low-input spring cereals to retain orrecreate an arable mosaic

Wales Tir Gofal Option 24 Unsprayed cereal, rape and linseedcrops

Scotland Rural Stewardship Scheme 25. Introduction or retention of extensivecropping27. Management of cropped Machair28. Unharvested Crops

NI Countryside Management Scheme Conservation cereals

� Low input management of the whole crop allows arable plants to flourish throughout.

Poppies can result in a dazzling display of colour.

of the agri-environment schemes (apart fromELS) have some valuable low input whole cropoptions available.

conditions for arable flora, which willattract insects but also provides a valuabledrying-out and dusting area for game birds.

● Simply including spring cropping in yourrotation provides the benefits of a lowerinput growing system that allows springgerminating arable plants to establish andan over-winter stubble to increase thegrowing season.

● Using summer fallows as a break in yourcrop rotation to help control pests anddisease, will also provide a window ofsuitable management conditions for wildannual plants.

● Adopt an integrated approach to cropprotection, using only selective herbicidesand managing a spray programme thataccounts for weed thresholds.This moresensitive approach can allow successfulcrop production and wild arable plants toco-exist.

� Wild bird seed mix or game cover crops grown

with low inputs and with narrow margins

cultivated but unsown allow wild plants to flourish

and provide valuable habitat for farmland birds.

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THEWEED ISSUE!

‘Weeds’ are the main problem when managingland for arable plants.The difficulty is gettingthe balance between controlling problemspecies whilst maintaining populations of thedesired wild plants.The key problem speciesare grass (black-grass and bromes) andperennial weeds (couch, thistles and docks).

The most important thing is to try andmanage the weed issue before it becomes aproblem. Carefully consider the location ofmargins, ideally choosing sites with lighter soilswhich don’t have an existing weed burden.Also carefully monitor the condition ofmargins taking action to control weeds beforethey become a threat to the desired plantspecies or the adjacent crop. Under most agri-environment scheme prescriptions there is theoption to move both cultivated margins andconservation headlands around the farm tohelp prevent problem weeds building up.Asthe majority of arable plants have relativelylong-lived seed they can sit in the seed bankuntil favourable management returns.

GRASSWEEDS:

If annual grass weeds become a problem, thecultivation timing or depth can be adjustedto control germination of these speciesotherwise it may be necessary to use agraminicide. A single use of clodinafop-propargyl as permitted under the ESschemes and on, request, under the otheragri-environment schemes can be sufficientto control Wild Oats and Black-grass.

Cultural control methods for managingsome grass weeds include:

� To help control Black-grass, plough to adepth of at least 15cm to bury seedbeyond their germination depth. As themain germination period for Black-grass isSeptember to November, delay ploughinguntil the spring.A deep spring cultivatedmargin is the best way to manage forBlack-grass.

� Sterile Brome can also be controlled byploughing to at least 15cm in order tobury seed beyond their germinationdepth. Delaying cultivation beyond 4weeks post harvest can also result ininduced seed dormancy.

� Wild Oats are more difficult to manage bycultural means as they can germinate fromdepth making deep ploughing of limitedbenefit. Use of a graminicide will most likelybe required if Wild Oats become aproblem.

PERENNIALWEEDS:

● Perennial weeds are more difficult tocontrol by cultivation. In fact, ploughing canincrease the problem by cutting andspreading roots and rhizomes from whichnew plants can regenerate. In these casesspot treatment using selective herbicidesmay be required.

● A single application of non-selectiveherbicide in late summer early autumn(September) can control perennial weeds asthey are still growing sufficiently to take upthe chemical but will not be damaging to theannual species as they have already set seed.

● Topping may be necessary prior tocultivation to reduce tall vegetation andwill help to prevent perennial weed seedreturn.This should be done outside of thebird-breeding season and after seed-set ofrare arable plants.

MONITORING &ADVICE:

● It is important to monitor margins andplots regularly to ensure that the desiredvegetation is being maintained. Look outfor potential problems such as gradualbuild-up of grasses, or of perennial speciessuch as Sow-thistle or Creeping Thistle.Occasionally, a single annual broadleavedspecies itself might become dominant, tothe detriment of overall diversity;Charlock can be a problem as it is tall andcompetitive.

● Get advice before a serious problembuilds up which puts important speciesand crop management at risk.

● And if a problem persist use theopportunity to move the margin, don’ttake the option to permanently grass themargin down as this would bury theannual arable species forever.

� Charlock can be highly competitive, not just

with the crop but also other wild plant species.

The use of selective herbicides or cutting may be

required to control it.

� Creeping Thistle can become a problem in margins that have been managed in the same location

for many years – rotating conservation management around the farm can help prevent perennial

weed build up.

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Recommended texts and references

● Arable Plants – a field guide,Wilson, P. andKing M., 2003, English Nature andWildguides

● Arable Bryophytes – a field guide to themosses, liverworts and hornworts of cultivatedland in Britain and Ireland. Porley, R., 2008,Natural England and Wildguides

● The farm wildlife handbook,Winspear, R.(ed), 2007,The RSPB, Sandy

● Entry Level and Higher Level StewardshipHandbooks, Natural England, 2008

● Tir Gofal Scheme Guide and Prescriptions,Welsh Assembly Government

● Rural Stewardship Scheme ExplanatoryBooklet 2006,The Scottish Government

● NI Countryside Management Scheme2007-2013 – NICMS InformationBooklet/Explanatory Booklet/PaymentRates, Department of Agriculture andRural Development

Contacts for advice and furtherinformation

Arable Plants Website:www.arableplants.org.ukArable Plants – a field guide online:www.arableplants.fieldguide.co.ukPlantlife: www.plantlife.org.ukRSPB: www.rspb.org.ukFarming and Wildlife Advisory Group:www.fwag.org.ukGame and Wildlife Conservation Trust:www.gct.org.ukFarmWildlife website: www.farmwildlife.info

Defra: www.defra.gov.ukNatural England: www.naturalengland.gov.ukWelsh Assembly Government:http://wales.gov.uk/?lang=enThe Scottish Government:www.scotland.gov.ukNI Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment: www.dardni.gov.uk

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This booklet was funded as part of the Plantlife Arable PlantsProject with generous financial support fromTheTubneyCharitableTrust and Natural England.

Plantlife is the UK’s leading charity working to protect wild plants andtheir habitats. We identify and conserve sites of exceptional botanicalimportance, rescue wild plants from the brink of extinction and ensurethat common plants don’t become rare in the wild. We achieve this bycarrying out conservation work, managing our 23 nature reserves,influencing government policy and legislation, involving our 10,000members in many aspects of our work, and collaborating widely topromote wild plant conservation. Plantlife is a key organisation indelivering the Government’s Biodiversity Action Plan, which targets theUK’s Priority Species and Habitats for conservation action. HRH ThePrince of Wales is our Patron and Adrian Darby OBE our President.

Plantlife International – The Wild Plant Conservation Charity.14 Rollestone Street, Salisbury Wiltshire SP1 1DXTel: +44 (0) 1722 342730 Fax: +44 (0) 1722 329035email: enquiries@plantlife.org.ukwebsite: www.plantlife.org.uk© April 2009 ISBN: 978-1-907141-06-5

AcknowledgementsThe illustrations on page 5 of this booklet are reproduced by kind permission of MidsummerBooks Ltd from TheWild Flowers of the British Isles by Ian Garrard and David Streeter,©Midsummer Books Ltd.The illustrations on pages 6,7 and 9 are by Andrew Evans.

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