What do you want to do with it after , are you going to graze the cover crop ? Whats it growing now ?Thoughts on whether compaction can be resolved with root crops? E.g. fodder radish.
Got some ground that was dug for gravel and topsoil dozed back on (v. thin in some places), decades ago but drainage has been horrendous ever since.
TIA
They’re supposed to grow upwards aren’t they?How much force is required to push a small shovel in? I have tried drilling radishes on ground that was too compacted. They germinated, grew and at some point started growing upwards instead of downwards into the pan. If they did anything at all, they improved the soil structure only in the first inch. Not really what I was hoping for. Learning from that, if I understand your situation correctly I would subsoil as deep as you can go and then harrow or disk the best you can and then plant Chicory over the top. In 5 years time you might have something to start working with to build up to soil again.
Chicory is very deep rootingThey’re supposed to grow upwards aren’t they?
^^^ couldn't have said it betterHow much force is required to push a small shovel in? I have tried drilling radishes on ground that was too compacted. They germinated, grew and at some point started growing upwards instead of downwards into the pan. If they did anything at all, they improved the soil structure only in the first inch. Not really what I was hoping for. Learning from that, if I understand your situation correctly I would subsoil as deep as you can go and then harrow or disk the best you can and then plant Chicory over the top. In 5 years time you might have something to start working with to build up to soil again.
I'm a cattle farmer so happy to graze it, but if there's more benefit letting it grow then mulching it into the ground prior to a Spring reseed, we'll do that.What do you want to do with it after , are you going to graze the cover crop ? Whats it growing now ?
Never considered that KP.^^^ couldn't have said it better
Sometimes soils that have been dug and replaced seem to "tank"
that is you have a top tank and a bottom tank and nothing connecting them - no percolation, no "pan" as such but it could be ½inch plate
basically the plants that grow just confine themselves to whatever active soil they have and stop there, and it limits them.
Probably the best course is to use a subsoiler, yes it will possibly slump back to a worse state but it gives roots somewhere to go - I'd probably subsoil a couple of years ahead of time if possible
Roots seldom travel looking for anaerobic or toxic environments, and if land is both compacted and regularly fertilised then it usually creates those conditions - like alot of crop ground, it's basically a broadacre hydroponics operation, and it won't change while being fed from the top
I would! If you have the gear to do itNever considered that KP.
Given where we are, better to subsoil now immediately prior to sowing root crop?
Main objective is to achieve a good deep rooting ley next year...
I would stick some Rye on it have some usefull feed it the spring for mowing or grazing before you put your new ley in , keep it simple , main thing is you have a clean field to drill into next spring and not to much residue to deal with , do you not want tp plough due to the soil depth ?I'm a cattle farmer so happy to graze it, but if there's more benefit letting it grow then mulching it into the ground prior to a Spring reseed, we'll do that.
Plan is to clean up the old permanent pasture ready to go in with a deep rooting herbal ley.
Esp. reluctant to plough this field.
Be cheaper to subsoil itI would stick some Rye on it have some usefull feed it the spring for mowing or grazing before you put your new ley in , keep it simple , main thing is you have a clean field to drill into next spring and not to much residue to deal with , do you not want tp plough due to the soil depth ?
Yes topsoil too thin to plough, just bring up subsoil and bury all the good stuff.I would stick some Rye on it have some usefull feed it the spring for mowing or grazing before you put your new ley in , keep it simple , main thing is you have a clean field to drill into next spring and not to much residue to deal with , do you not want tp plough due to the soil depth ?
You defo need a break crop then , then go for a stale seedbed in this spring ,get rid of some of the weeds before you put the Herbal ley inYes topsoil too thin to plough, just bring up subsoil and bury all the good stuff.
RE weed burden there's all sorts there (docks, nettles, thistles, meadowgrass), and leatherjackets etc. Given its been down as grass for 30+ years