- Location
- Western Washington
Do you not need moisture to germinate? I hear about a strong El Nino this winter. It could make a difference.
Grass to grass reseed
- Thread starter DairyNerd
- Start date
- Location
- South West
We’re old school, but never had an issue. Graze it off tight to make it easier ploughing, spray off if got a chance but if not plough over, combi drill and flat roll.
- Location
- Ceredigion
It's like Autumn here , no problem with moisture, it's to wet to roll , lack of sun is the problem now
- Location
- Pembrokeshire
Contractor near here has wavy disc on front of tractor then sumo trio on back with seeder box , so chops grass , lifts soil , chops again ,spreads seeds and packer rolls it
ollie989898
Member
Ploughing will help keep the weed grasses at bay for longer. Putting it into winter wheat first is better still.
Princess Pooper
Member
- Location
- East Mids
We have done 3 spring reseeds in 20 years here, absolutely full of weeds. Autumn reseeds hardly any weed problems and we don't usually spray, but it is disced or ploughed.
- Location
- South West
We always reseed in the autumn for the same reason. We find the grass tends to establish itself better over winter and gets ahead of any weeds and smothers them. Also means not lost any crops, as you tend to get a good first cut in may where as a spring reseed can be hit or miss getting a decent crop off before winter.
- Location
- Ceredigion
Reseeding is a classic case of what works for you on your farm , if it works don't change , spring Reseeding as become a disaster here, same a late summer , it turns wet very quick and we get plagued with Chickweed , I have most success sowing in June July and early August
Princess Pooper
Member
- Location
- East Mids
..... whereas in the East Midlands it is usually far too dry to risk it in the summer months, plus on our farm we can't afford to lose a field in the grazing season. We've actually had excellent reseeds from October for the last 2 years, including a good take of white clover.
kp_n_plghng
Member
Always in August here and only drill when rain is forecast cant really go wrong with that.
ollie989898
Member
Spring or autumn decisions should not be driven by broad leaved weed concerns. Just spray all new leys.
- Location
- Pembrokeshire
Spray for what ,new ley here this spring ,bit of fat hen in two places but cows grazed every last bit and all ready to graze again now
,probaly 20% clover
ollie989898
Member
The damage is long done by the time the weeds are big enough to graze. It's not the loss of yield that is the issue, it's the fact that space in the ley is being occupied by weeds and so your sown species will not be there. The weeds are largely annual- they will die at some point in the coming season leaving a hole. Which will be occupied by something else, probably weed grasses and it is weed grass ingress that does for grass leys.
- Location
- Pembrokeshire
There’s no holler there ,it’s already filled in with grass and clover
You seem to want to throw sprays at every weed that comes up when in reality getting on it and grazing it will sort the problem
Then again you were a agronomist or salesman probaly a better name
Princess Pooper
Member
- Location
- East Mids
Spring reseeds more weeds than grass and as a small scale grass farmer have you tried getting a spray contractor at the right time? Even the very experience contractor says they never have much luck with spring reseeds in our area. With an autumn reseed we have minimal weeds and never need or want to spray, we have clover in there.
ollie989898
Member
I couldn't give a fudge what anyone does- it makes precisely no difference to me. But you've just blown the neck end of £100 an acre reseeding and you moan about £10 worth of herbicide?
It's not about the money.
A) no clover/herb safe sprays
B) risk/damage to environment
C) unnecessary chemical encourages resistance
I'm sure there are other good reasons not to spray.
ollie989898
Member
Get a better spray contractor.
ollie989898
Member
A) no longer the case- corteva launching new clover safe sprays.
B) That is nonsense- you've just torn up a piece of land and put grass in it. It's a monoculture however much you intend to pretend otherwise. Might as well be an open-cast coal mine for all the environmental benefit cultivated grass land is. You're falling for your own ideology here.
C) All grassland products contain multiple herbicides and are used very infrequently compared to arable farmers. How are you intending to save the planet? At any rate, a clean ley will last far longer anyway resulting in less reseeding and greater outputs in terms of yield per unit area so less land needed- nature will win this way and this is the argument all conventional agriculture should cling to.
serf
Member
- Location
- warwickshire
