Grass reseed - roll after heavy rain?

C

crashbox

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Oct 2, 2021

• #1

Hi TFF,

Just put in 30 acres of grass, power harrow / seed box combination, scratched in by tines on the rear. Herbal ley, with grass, plantain, clovers. Straight into maize stubble, so clean seed bed.

Normally I would ring roll twice immediately after, but heavy rain has stopped play.

It'll be touch and go whether I'll be able to roll before chitting, ground quite wet. So will the rain be enough for germination?

TIA

CB

 

cotswoldcs

Member

Location

Bang In the heart of the Cotswolds

• Oct 2, 2021

• #2

I hope so. We managed to do some before the rain and won't be able to get on the field with the roller now. I'm leaving Mother Nature to roll it in with raindrops. Had enough of them today to do the job!

 

davidroberts30

Member

Location

pembrokeshire

• Oct 2, 2021

• #3

Personally I'd leave it till spring and heavy flat roll it

 

Derrick Hughes

Member

✓

Location

Ceredigion

• Oct 2, 2021

• #4

Yes leave it be now , I rolled mine behind the drill , if its wet don't role and don't role when it's started to germinate , should be enough moisture now to keep it going

 

steveR

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Gods own County, Shropshire of course

• Oct 2, 2021

• #5

Derrick Hughes said:

Yes leave it be now , I rolled mine behind the drill , if its wet don't role and don't role when it's started to germinate , should be enough moisture now to keep it going

Click to expand...

No worries on that score!!

 

Boysground

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Wiltshire

• Oct 2, 2021

• #6

I rolled some last year when the soil was too wet. Where the roller went it was fine, definitely less crop in the spring where the tractor wheels went. It’s difficult to see the difference now.
Italian rye grass on chalk. If it happens again I’d probably go for spring rolling just to get the flints away from the mower and forager

Bg

 

milkloss

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

East Sussex

• Oct 2, 2021

• #7

Heavy rain? Leave it and see what grows. We had a field with a moderate slope on it and all the seed washed to one end so needed doing again anyway.

 

Bury the Trash

Member

Mixed Farmer

• Oct 2, 2021

• #8

crashbox said:

Hi TFF,

Just put in 30 acres of grass, power harrow / seed box combination, scratched in by tines on the rear. Herbal ley, with grass, plantain, clovers. Straight into maize stubble, so clean seed bed.

Normally I would ring roll twice immediately after, but heavy rain has stopped play.

It'll be touch and go whether I'll be able to roll before chitting, ground quite wet. So will the rain be enough for germination?

TIA

CB

Click to expand...

yes, leave it alone now.

 

C

crashbox

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Oct 2, 2021

• #9

Thanks all.
Can't see us being able to roll it before Tues due to wet so it'll have to wait.
CB

 

C

crashbox

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Dec 11, 2021

• #10

To close out the thread...
I can confirm that we did not roll in the end, and the germination has been excellent.
It was a heavy old downpour the day after seeding mind, but the right call.
Thanks All.

 

Derrick Hughes

Member

✓

Location

Ceredigion

• Dec 11, 2021

• #11

Any chickweed ?

 

C

crashbox

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Dec 11, 2021

• #12

Derrick Hughes said:

Any chickweed ?

Click to expand...

Time will tell. The herbs and clovers are up.