Mathew Beale (FCG WhiteAvon)

A talk at Groundswell I attended with speakers Elizabeth Stockdale from NIAB, soils and cultivations advisor Philip Wright, and Essex farmer Simon Cowell, discussed the role of cultivations within regenerative systems. The overview was that healthy soils are built on careful observation, good structure, effective drainage, and targeted interventions rather than routine cultivations.

Direct drilling remains one of the most effective ways for building resilient soils, but successful regenerative farming is not about avoiding cultivation, it’s about understanding when soil disturbance is needed, applying it with precision, and allowing biology and roots to do as much of the work as possible.

Soil Structure Comes First

The talk brought up that the first thing that needs to be understood is your soil structure. Good soil structure is not simply about soil particles, it is about creating the vertical and horizontal cracks that allow roots, water and air to move freely through the profile. When soil becomes compacted, the structure is restricted, causing waterlogging, poor root development and reduced crop performance.

Compaction often creates a layer where water sits above the damaged zone, leading to waterlogging, runoff, nutrient loss and soil erosion. Identifying these problems early is essential, as poor structure impacts both farm productivity and environmental performance.

Effective soil management requires balancing physical (structure), biological (roots, earthworms, microbes) and chemical health (nutrient availability and pH). All 3 affects each other, meaning soil improvement strategies need to focus on all 3 elements.

Direct Drilling Delivers Long-Term Benefits

Simon has been continuous direct drilling for 22 years. The benefits he has found from this include:

Simon went on to talk about his key lessons in direct drilling, and how it is important to stay committed to it. He stated early challenges will be inevitable, but automatically going back to cultivations, will likely prevent soils from developing the resilience needed for long-term success.

Drainage: The Non-Negotiable Requirement

While regenerative systems rely on biology, the three speakers all agreed that good drainage remains an absolute must. As Simon put it “If your drainage is wrong, then the whole system falls apart“.

Poor drainage can be mistaken for deeper structural problems. Doing a field assessment before deciding on any soil disturbance is a must. Walking fields, observing where waterlogging occurs and understanding how water moves across the field should be done before thinking about any cultivations.

Targeted Soil Disturbance Has a Place

What became clear through the talk was that regenerative agriculture doesn’t just mean zero disturbance.

Philip Wright talked about occasional strategic tillage within no-till systems. This can help sort issues like:

Importantly, where soils have developed strong biological resilience, negative effects from targeted cultivation are often short-lived.

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The strongest practical message came from trials investigating low-disturbance loosening.

Data shared at the talk showed that removing actual soil compaction improved crop performance. However, carrying out any soil disturbance where there is no problem, reduced yield significantly. The conclusion was straightforward: “If it’s not broken, please don’t fix it.”

Over-cultivation can damage fragile biological networks, disrupt soil structure and reduce the benefits that regenerative systems work hard to create.

Let Roots be the First Tool

As the talk progressed, the discussion moved to the role of roots in soil structure. Poor root development, restricted rooting depth or uneven crop growth are all signals of structural issues. Cover crops were also viewed as “sensing crops”, and they could reveal problem areas before decisions were made about soil disturbance. If soil disturbance were to be required, cover crops with strong rooting ability can stabilise soil and support recovery, therefore heavier cultivations shouldn’t be needed.

Dig Before you Decide

Sustainable Soil Management Means Targeted Action

Well-managed soils rely on biological activity, continuous rooting, organic matter accumulation and minimised disturbance. However, where structural damage exists, strategic cultivations could be the best solution. The takeaway message from the talk was to ensure these are targeted, proportionate and followed by biological recovery. Successful soil management is about understanding when less is best.

If you would like to discuss this further, please contact Mathew Beale at mathewbeale@fcgagric.com or your local FCG office.