2/3 year cutting grass seed mixtures

YELROM

Member

Location

North Yorkshire

• Jul 23, 2023

• #1

We have a 50 ac block of arable land that we are going to grass down for 2/3 yrs
We normally take 3 cuts, will it be worth putting clover in the mix and how much would you be able to reduce nitrogen per cut if we did
What else do i need to look for in a seed mixture as i normally just take the advice of the seed firm
@Great In Grass @Derrick Hughes

 

YorkshireAndrew

Member

Location

West / North Yorks border

• Jul 23, 2023

• #2

@Kevtherev .

 

ollie989898

Member

Location

Hanging from a twig, in a deep sleep.

• Jul 23, 2023

• #3

Minimum 16kg/acre seed rate.

4kg of Lofa (festulolium) in there.
4-6kg of diplod PRG of some sort.

Remainder -up to 4kg- of medium and late heading tetraploid PRG. Feed it and cut cut cut.

If the ley appears a bit open toward the end of year 3 it's no big deal as you are taking it out anyway.

Rinse and repeat.

 

Kevtherev

Member

✓

Location

Welshpool Powys

• Jul 23, 2023

• #4

YorkshireAndrew said:

@Kevtherev .

Click to expand...

I see two have already been tagged
Who do you use for seed now @YELROM

 

YELROM

Member

Location

North Yorkshire

• Jul 23, 2023

• #5

ollie989898 said:

Minimum 16kg/acre seed rate.

4kg of Lofa (festulolium) in there.
4-6kg of diplod PRG of some sort.

Remainder -up to 4kg- of medium and late heading tetraploid PRG. Feed it and cut cut cut.

If the ley appears a bit open toward the end of year 3 it's no big deal as you are taking it out anyway.

Rinse and repeat.

Click to expand...

Would it be worth putting red clover in

 

YELROM

Member

Location

North Yorkshire

• Jul 23, 2023

• #6

Kevtherev said:

I see two have already been tagged
Who do you use for seed now @YELROM

Click to expand...

Greenland seeds

 

ollie989898

Member

Location

Hanging from a twig, in a deep sleep.

• Jul 23, 2023

• #7

YELROM said:

Would it be worth putting red clover in

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How much N do you intend to use and what sort of background fertility are we talking?

Much will depend on how much land you 'need' to operate your system as it will be driven by ultimate yield. If you have access to enough land I would suggest you consider growing red clover as a straight.

There is much argument back and forth but I cannot tell you, hand on heart, that a straight stand of red clover will give you the same fresh weight yield in a year as a pure cutting ley all other things being equal.

 

D

Dairyfarmer2016

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Jul 23, 2023

• #8

If you put just straight red clover in what silage analysis would you get?

 

YELROM

Member

Location

North Yorkshire

• Jul 23, 2023

• #9

It has had a fair bit of FYM, we would normally put
70-80N for first cut
50-60N for second
30-40N for third

How long would clover last as a straight and how often can you cut it

 

HarryB97

Member

Mixed Farmer

• Jul 23, 2023

• #10

Definitely worth adding clover. 3rd and last year of this mix before it goes back to arable. Red clover, fescue, cocksfoot and festulolium. No N just some sulphur before first cut then graze it with lambs. From @Great In Grass

 

Sid

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

South Molton

• Jul 23, 2023

• #11

Kevtherev said:

I see two have already been tagged
Who do you use for seed now @YELROM

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Your in before the top Welsh seed salesman

 

YELROM

Member

Location

North Yorkshire

• Jul 23, 2023

• #12

HarryB97 said:

Definitely worth adding clover. 3rd and last year of this mix before it goes back to arable. Red clover, fescue, cocksfoot and festulolium. No N just some sulphur before first cut then graze it with lambs. From @Great In Grass View attachment 1126026View attachment 1126028View attachment 1126029

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How many cuts do you take off it

 

Headless chicken

Member

Location

West Wales

• Jul 23, 2023

• #13

HarryB97 said:

Definitely worth adding clover. 3rd and last year of this mix before it goes back to arable. Red clover, fescue, cocksfoot and festulolium. No N just some sulphur before first cut then graze it with lambs. From @Great In Grass View attachment 1126026View attachment 1126028View attachment 1126029

Click to expand...

Is this a standard mix @Great In Grass? Price please? Needing something for the autumn myself

 

HarryB97

Member

Mixed Farmer

• Jul 23, 2023

• #14

YELROM said:

How many cuts do you take off it

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I take two as I wean lambs onto it at the end of July

 

In the pit

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Pembrokeshire

• Jul 23, 2023

• #15

Surely for a 2/3 year ley it’s Italian ryegrass /red clover mix which should get you 18 tons grass an acre you could maybe get 4 cuts in a good growing year

 

HarryB97

Member

Mixed Farmer

• Jul 23, 2023

• #16

Headless chicken said:

Is this a standard mix @Great In Grass? Price please? Needing something for the autumn myself

Click to expand...

Bespoke

 

In the pit

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Pembrokeshire

• Jul 23, 2023

• #17

In the pit said:

Surely for a 2/3 year ley it’s Italian ryegrass /red clover mix which should get you 18 tons grass an acre you could maybe get 4 cuts in a good growing year

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And it’s cheap

 

Kevtherev

Member

✓

Location

Welshpool Powys

• Jul 23, 2023

• #18

Sid said:

Your in before the top Welsh seed salesman

Click to expand...

You need to rephrase that…

 

Kevtherev

Member

✓

Location

Welshpool Powys

• Jul 23, 2023

• #19

Ideally for a 2-3 year ley in terms of cost as it’s relatively short term then maybe Italian some hybrid ryegrass and red clover as an addition depends really what sort of stock the OP is feeding.

 

YELROM

Member

Location

North Yorkshire

• Jul 23, 2023

• #20

Kevtherev said:

Ideally for a 2-3 year ley in terms of cost as it’s relatively short term then maybe Italian some hybrid ryegrass and red clover as an addition depends really what sort of stock the OP is feeding.

Click to expand...

Dairy cows mainly