The Right Timing.

Ukjay · Mar 1, 2021

Hello,

How do you now the right time to roll a pp paddock, as we need to get onto our to remove a lot of poaching and damage caused by the previous owners horses left out all weather. Tipped a trailer of muck two weeks ago, and the land carried the tractor ok - leaving relatively shallow tractor and trailer tyre imprints, but turning whilst reversing the trailer to tip scuffed a bit of the turf up in one area.

We did harrow it last year to try and knock off the tops, flatten the mole hills etc, then had sheep on it to help - but impact of the horse footings have proven a bit to much for the sheep unfortunately, hence my question into how to know the right time to limit the damage done.

The ground is quite wet currently after the recent rains, so really looking to understand in order to be ready.

Barleymow · Mar 1, 2021

Just before it gets too dry, this is just after its too wet

Flat 10 · Mar 1, 2021

Try it and find out. Start when it’s too wet and try every day until it goes well?

Stuart J · Mar 1, 2021

Why roll it and add to the compaction further??

Courier · Mar 1, 2021

Rolling doesn't remove poaching .... It pushes stones into the ground's surface and out of the way of mower blades. It also has some effect on molehills.

Sounds as though you need a re-seed and a season without stock to level it up until the next wet spell.

DaveGrohl · Mar 1, 2021

All the above comments are true as well as funny, but what are you looking to achieve by rolling it? You won't alleviate compaction.

Kidds · Mar 1, 2021

DaveGrohl said:
what are you looking to achieve by rolling it?

Makes it a lot less bumpy when you are ploughing for a reseed.

Kidds · Mar 1, 2021

Oh, and the booms don't bounce as much when you put the glypho on prior to ploughing.

Courier · Mar 1, 2021

Stuart J said:
Why roll it and add to the compaction further??

Rolling doesn't actually create compaction for more than a couple of mm. - Imagine a 3 metre wide tyre with a tonne per metre loading - Under any other situation that would be called "Low Ground Pressure" !

Ukjay · Mar 1, 2021

Barleymow said:
Just before it gets too dry, this is just after its too wet

Ukjay · Mar 1, 2021

Stuart J said:
Why roll it and add to the compaction further??

Our land isn't compacted much overall, some areas are where they shoved too many horses over, but that is being addressed alongside.

So, trying to put this in writing is slightly difficult - but similar to a cow walking through your paddocks, the imprint left by the feet - deep hole, with significantly raised edges, creates a paddock that is a PITA to maintain etc, as when it is hard after drying out, you bounce around like a yo yo in the cab, the mower scalps the raised areas dulling the blades etc - and the harrows and sheep haven't worked as hoped for.

So, we are trying to obviously flatten it out a bit to make it more level, and less likely to break your ankles when your walking the land, as the wife broke her ankle last year doing something else here, and we do not want a repeat of that where we can hopefully mitigate it..

Plus we need to treat some areas that were heavily poached to get back into condition, also look to sort out the weeds we see coming through now, so I'd rather not have to settle for the current state if I can improve it.

Long term it needs the drains redoing, as it doesn't drain too well in places, so either old drains are blocked, or not enough - I do not know, as we can't find any outlets.

Bald Rick · Mar 1, 2021

Use a grassland sward lifter.

Use a contractor. Just do it the once.

Ukjay · Mar 1, 2021

Bald Rick said:
Use a grassland sward lifter.

View attachment 944508

Use a contractor. Just do it the once.

Forgive my limited knowledge - but how will that flatten the hoofprint impact, I thought they were for compaction?

Bald Rick · Mar 1, 2021

Ukjay said:
Forgive my limited knowledge - but how will that flatten the hoofprint impact, I thought they were for compaction?

Yes .. you are lifting the sward or in other words breaking up the compaction without going too deep

Ukjay · Mar 1, 2021

Bald Rick said:
Yes .. you are lifting the sward or in other words breaking up the compaction without going too deep

Sorry, but still being dumb here I know, but how will the footprint damage get flattened / filled then, as I am not following this fully unfortunately?

Derrick Hughes · Mar 1, 2021

Role it and put a bit of seed on at the same time

bobk · Mar 1, 2021

If you want nice fields , shoot the horses , otherwise lump it . nothing fooks up fields worse than hosses

czechmate · Mar 1, 2021

Ukjay said:
Sorry, but still being dumb here I know, but how will the footprint damage get flattened / filled then, as I am not following this fully unfortunately?

Well, the thing is the damage that is troubling you, that you an see, is not actually where you can see but lower down, if that makes sense

Ukjay · Mar 1, 2021

bobk said:
If you want nice fields , shoot the horses , otherwise lump it . nothing fooks up fields worse than hosses

I don't need to lump anything, as our old paddocks prior to moving here were not like this. People neglecting land and allowing animals on when the weather is seriously not right is the cause imho.

We managed well in our old place, and the sheep and harrows kept the paddocks in check, but we are trying to manage a situation whereby the previous owner let too many horses out through the winter, which has caused the damage... Ignorant management of the land to save on bedding...

bobk · Mar 1, 2021

Ukjay said:
I don't need to lump anything, as our old paddocks prior to moving here were not like this. People neglecting land and allowing animals on when the weather is seriously not right is the cause imho.

We managed well in our old place, and the sheep and harrows kept the paddocks in check, but we are trying to manage a situation whereby the previous owner let too many horses out through the winter, which has caused the damage... Ignorant management of the land to save on bedding...

Plough it up and reseed , new start

The Right Timing.

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