Autumn grass sowing better than spring time?

BPip

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Clare, Ireland.
As title - have you had better luck with autumn sown grass or spring?

Obviously this year spring was colder than normal, mild winter. So weather always plays its part.

I’ve got small acreage and wanted to intersow into existing mixed grass pasture some timothy, cockfoot and tall fescue. Soil is peaty loam 10 inches, limestone base, high rainfall area. Land drained.
I’ve never tried autumn sown, spring sown tends to happen before 2 weeks no rain and sudden heat 🙄 so now thinking autumn sown could be good. winter temps rarely gets below 0 until feb here in west ireland.
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
As title - have you had better luck with autumn sown grass or spring?

Obviously this year spring was colder than normal, mild winter. So weather always plays its part.

I’ve got small acreage and wanted to intersow into existing mixed grass pasture some timothy, cockfoot and tall fescue. Soil is peaty loam 10 inches, limestone base, high rainfall area. Land drained.
I’ve never tried autumn sown, spring sown tends to happen before 2 weeks no rain and sudden heat 🙄 so now thinking autumn sown could be good. winter temps rarely gets below 0 until feb here in west ireland.
Yes if its not too hard winters , autumn, or rather late summer into autumn is a better time for it, as the moisture supply is more reliable .
Get started with the job in August, I would (y)
 

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
Spring sowing is an absolute lottery down here - as above, moisture availability can be at either extreme or in its happy place. Easy to get a chit, luck decides whether they progress.

- Great way to begin your very own weed nursery, which is a great way to increase the cost of the exercise

Autumn sowing though, gives you more cracks at getting weeds controlled regardless of system, the new seeds aren't battling to beat established plants' growth rate - that's the main issue with inter/overseeding.
Given your species, cocksfoot and TF will grow all winter most likely, and the Timothy will need until spring to be much, it's slow off the blocks being such a tiny seed.
As per above, August is probably a good shout
 

BPip

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Clare, Ireland.
Thanks for the replies - seems autumn is worth a try, never done it, but shall give it a go!

It’s sods law that every spring i try, its followed by a dry spell of sudden heat, then loads of rain and sudden cold…the seedlings really struggle. Spring seems very unpredictable now! This year was mad, we had 0 degrees beginning of may at night.
 

Andyt880

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Co. Down
Thanks for the replies - seems autumn is worth a try, never done it, but shall give it a go!

It’s sods law that every spring i try, its followed by a dry spell of sudden heat, then loads of rain and sudden cold…the seedlings really struggle. Spring seems very unpredictable now! This year was mad, we had 0 degrees beginning of may at night.
What part of the world are you in @BPip ?
 

BPip

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Clare, Ireland.
Down here spring or autumn didn't seem to matter. Could get a dry autumn as readily as a dry spring some years. I prefer august as you are going to see rain eventually soil temperatures are higher.
yeah, i have soil temps on my side in august, it can take a while in spring for the temps to rise. Low temps are part the reason germination is so slow in late april even….i’ve seen an inch of growth by june…terribly slow. Waste of seed really.
Fingers crossed an august sow will do much better.
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
I would no go in much later than the 1st week of September here but prefer spring sowing , if it turns wet after you sow in the Autumn you cant graze or spray , I like to Graze 8 to 10 weeks after sowing , does it the world of good
 

Andyt880

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Co. Down
East county Clare, west Ireland
I imagine you shouldn’t have much of a risk of drought down along the west in spring or autumn for reseeding. The only thing if your land is on rock I suppose it can burn up quick in dry times.
Very different climate on the west coast of Ireland to that of some folk on here in southern or eastern England
I have family out to the west of county Sligo and they usually struggle to get a dry spell for long enough to get any reseeding done
 

BPip

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Clare, Ireland.
I imagine you shouldn’t have much of a risk of drought down along the west in spring or autumn for reseeding. The only thing if your land is on rock I suppose it can burn up quick in dry times.
Very different climate on the west coast of Ireland to that of some folk on here in southern or eastern England
I have family out to the west of county Sligo and they usually struggle to get a dry spell for long enough to get any reseeding done

One average year i recorded the weather daily - Two thirds of the year it rains! 🤨 We’ve got roughly scottish highlands rainfall and sunshine hours here. Mainly overcast and mild.
The drainage ive done is OTT compared to ‘normal’ but is needed!

More rain in winter than summer, hence soil cold and wetter going into spring than coming out of summer into autumn.

Luckily im further in than burren rock areas so have good moisture, drought i’ve rarely seen except on thinner top soil hill areas of fields.
 

Dog Bowl

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cotswolds
To be fair if you put a spring reseed in this year with all that rain in May you'd be laughing. We are just too drought prone up here and it's more risky in the spring versus the autumn.
 

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