May – The Arrival of Summer and Time to Plan Ahead
May – The Arrival of Summer and Time to Plan Ahead
The arrival of May Day is usually – although not exclusively in the East Midlands, it should be said – associated with the arrival of better weather, higher temperatures and with plants bursting into life as they prepare for the longer, hotter summer months. It is a holiday that is officially recognised in the UK as a bank holiday of course, but its roots go back further to the pagan festival of Beltane. It was this festival that marked the change between darkness (winter) and light (summer), usually represented by a symbolic fire.
Of course, these days, we tend to think of the long May Day weekend as the unofficial start of summer even though it is officially in spring. The first day of summer north of the equator is 21st June this year. However, at BTAC and in many other places which provide agricultural services, it really feels like summer is starting now. Let’s hope that we get some rain soon though as the ground is already thirsty.
Silage and Fertilising
Just like any time of change in the calendar, I tend to start thinking ahead at what is to come at the start of May. Typically, farmers will want to bring livestock in from grazing on silage fields so that the soil can be improved for a period of about six weeks.
In fact, fertilising and muck spreading is one of those jobs many people in Rutland, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire will associate with the late spring and early summer. Of course, this is work that the agricultural team at BTAC can undertake on your behalf if it has been left a little too late and you need extra manpower.
Crop Spraying
The same can be said of many field spraying jobs that you might need to be conducted over the course of the next few weeks. Many potato, cereal and pea fields usually require some spraying in May as well as sugar beet which is so widely grown in this region. If you have livestock and are gearing up for the summer showing season, then it is easy to skimp on this sort of work, so why not consider outsourcing it to a reliable contractor
Greenkeeping
We start getting ready for the summer sports that will soon be underway from May Day, too. For our team of professionals, this will often mean mowing begins in earnest to keep on top of grass growth and cut down on weeds. Whereas school playing fields and so on need longer grass for winter sports, shorter cuts are desirable for cricket, athletics and lawn tennis. Again, this is the sort of service you can book with us for your garden, playing field or sports pitches.
Bear in mind that as the summer goes on, we tend to get busier and busier, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us now to make arrangements for any services you’ll think you’ll need this summer.
Until next time folks,
Brian