Drilling grass into wheat stubble

[Douglasmn]

Does anyone have any experience drilling grass into wheat stubble at this time of year? Cut field yesterday and chopped the straw. Lightly disced it today. Plan to sow and heavy roll tomorrow. Bit of a step into the unknown though. Anyone done this before? Any tips(or reasons to wait until the spring) appreciated. Grass will be for grazing and silage for approx 3 years.

 

[E_B]

We have done it plenty of times for 1 year ley. Just waited until after a rain and then gone in with our KV Evo tine drill. We always bale the straw though. Have disced it prior in dry times. We will be doing it again this year. Usually do it about this time of year, although probably too wet at the moment.

 

[E_B]

We have never rolled by the way

 

[Douglasmn]

We have done it plenty of times for 1 year ley. Just waited until after a rain and then gone in with our KV Evo tine drill. We always bale the straw though. Have disced it prior in dry times. We will be doing it again this year. Usually do it about this time of year, although probably too wet at the moment.

Thought about baling but was worried about it delaying things by a week or so in case swath got rained on. Would prefer less trash there definitely. Ever had bother with slugs going grass? Bit concerned about them setting up camp under all the straw and chaff, hence why I'll be using the heavy roller to try and firm things up as best as possible.

 

[rjs15t]

Would recommend incorporating that chopped straw and using some pellets. I've sown plenty of grass into stubbble but usually after wholecrop or baling.

 

[Douglasmn]

Would recommend incorporating that chopped straw and using some pellets. I've sown plenty of grass into stubbble but usually after wholecrop or baling.

Tried a few bits of the field discing it 3 or 4 times. Looks much better, fully blackened and really fine tilth. Think will do it once again, then sow after that with heavy roller trailing behind. Grass seed not cheap so don't want any poor establishment that's for sure.

 

[Will Blackburn]

Slugs can cause havoc definitely pellet post drilling and roll with a ballast roller.

 

[rjs15t]

Tried a few bits of the field discing it 3 or 4 times. Looks much better, fully blackened and really fine tilth. Think will do it once again, then sow after that with heavy roller trailing behind. Grass seed not cheap so don't want any poor establishment that's for sure.

Quick pass with ring rolls then sow seed then heavy roll if conditions allow.

 

[dontknowanything]

DDed IRG into wheat stubble last year. Had some bad slugs in the autumn, I actually thought I'd lost 1/3rd of the field, but it all came through and yielded exceptionally.

 

[britt]

I did some direct into wheat stubble last year about 10th Sept. The straw was baled and the slugs did thin it in places. Grew fast enough to get a graze before the winter.

 

[Dan Powell]

Works well if baled. Again slugs are your enemy. Volunteer wheat will be grazed out or not survive beyond 1st cut.

 

[Douglasmn]

Did this yesterday

 

[Douglasmn]

Did this today. Will sow it tomorrow. Not direct drilling but felt a bit of cultivation would save the day in this case!

 

[Feldspar]

DDed IRG into wheat stubble last year. Had some bad slugs in the autumn, I actually thought I'd lost 1/3rd of the field, but it all came through and yielded exceptionally.

Lesson for next time? Bale straw? More slug pellets?

 

[dontknowanything]

Lesson for next time? Bale straw? More slug pellets?

pay more attention. The bit by the road I was watching was fine, and I didn't walk across the whole field until it was almost too late. Whizzed on some slug pellets with the quad bike and it was fine./

 

[James Hughes]

pay more attention. The bit by the road I was watching was fine, and I didn't walk across the whole field until it was almost too late. Whizzed on some slug pellets with the quad bike and it was fine./

Was this into chopped straw? Did it have any clovers with it?

Thanks

 

[ollie989898]

Was this into chopped straw? Did it have any clovers with it?

Thanks

It will work into chopped straw, clovers will come fine provided you don't sow them too deep. If weather looks damp I would go possibly go with a modest dose of slug pellets post rolling.

 

[James Hughes]

It will work into chopped straw, clovers will come fine provided you don't sow them too deep. If weather looks damp I would go possibly go with a modest dose of slug pellets post rolling.

Thanks Ollie.

I am thinking:

1 Combine wheat, chop straw
2 Straw rake, to get chit of volunteers, wait 2 weeks
3 spray off volunteers with low dose glyphosate
4 broadcast herbal ley mix (grasses, clovers, herbs, chicory) seed with drill out of the ground to get even coverage of seed (nervous of drilling clovers DD as think i may put them too deep? Also dont want seed in rows and drill a foot out of the ground will give good even seed distribution)
5 straw rake to get seed down to soil level
6. rol, roll roll!

What do you reckon?

 

[ollie989898]

Thanks Ollie.

I am thinking:

1 Combine wheat, chop straw
2 Straw rake, to get chit of volunteers, wait 2 weeks
3 spray off volunteers with low dose glyphosate
4 broadcast herbal ley mix (grasses, clovers, herbs, chicory) seed with drill out of the ground to get even coverage of seed (nervous of drilling clovers DD as think i may put them too deep? Also dont want seed in rows and drill a foot out of the ground will give good even seed distribution)
5 straw rake to get seed down to soil level
6. rol, roll roll!

What do you reckon?

I don't like to see seed broadcast- it is far to expensive.

By all means rake the stubble to spread the trash, annoy the slugs and get the green to chit. To be fair if your rake spreads the wheat volunteers out evenly they aren't usually a problem.

I don't know what drill you have but you ideally want it to generate some tilth, drop the seed on the surface and then harrow it in then firm it- something which a Vaderstaad will do very well.

I would then roll it. No need to rake again unless your drill needs a follow up.

If you are leaving high levels of trash I would probably pellet pre-emptively. Depends on the weather. If the soil is moist but weather warm and dry then the slugs probably outrun by the grass seed.

If wheat volunteers arrive you can put sheep across the ley a bit later on.

If broad leaved weeds are an issue, spray them sooner rather than later.

 

[James Hughes]

OK thanks, much appreciated

Drill is a horsch sprinter although we also have a Wevaing GD.

Gut feeling would be to use the sprinter if drilling into stubble+chopped straw although seed will be in 30cm rows with narrow DD points on - too open for grass I think. Could put 5" borgualt goose feet on but then you lose the depth control/tilth generation for small seeds. Might be the best compromise.

Not too familiar with vaderstad drills - is yours a disc or tine?