These margins will provide beneficial management for rare arable plants, insects and foraging sites for seed-eating birds. It is better to avoid locating these margins where you have a grass weed problem. Where run-off is a problem, a grass buffer should be considered. The option will provide greatest benefits on sandy, shallow, chalky or stony soils.

For this option, you must comply with the following:

• Cultivate an arable field margin annually in either spring or autumn to a depth of about 15 cm (6 inches).
• Varying the depth and time of cultivation may help prevent the build-up of undesirable weeds, but should always be managed according to the requirements of the target species.
• Margins should be 3 m-6 m wide. They can be relocated within the same field to avoid the build-up of pernicious weeds.
• Do not apply any fertilisers or manures.
• Where a severe pernicious weed burden has developed, targeted broad-spectrum herbicides can be used, once annual species have set seed (typically in September). Before then, only apply herbicides to spot-treat or weed-wipe for the control of injurious weeds (ie creeping and spear thistles, curled and broad-leaved docks or common ragwort) or invasive non-native species (eg Himalayan balsam, rhododendron or Japanese knotweed).

Uncropped cultivated margin, on the right of the picture, with an unfertilised headland in the edge of the crop