Grass for compacted / heavy clay soil.

[Coximus]

Ive got some ground thats undulating heavy clay - remains of a 1950's landslip when drains failed.
The land is impassable to vehicles as its too steep and undulating, and the clay shears so you slide around, its always damp, but not waterlogged, as a result of the springs.

The soil is very compacted, and grass doesnt grow well. Previous occupants of this bit (i own it now) have suggested grazing it hard and sowing Radishes & Rape into the ground, Cocksfoot apparently will do ok on it? Red Clover can break the ground up?

Id like to bring it into more productive use, as its south facing, and the indexes are all high, ph is on par, and the rest of the hill side produces grass liken the clappers from feb to november, adding this would be great.

 

[Great In Grass]

Daikon/Tillage Radish with either Berseem Clover or Oil Radish or both?

Or a grass ley specially designed for such condtions.

Where are you loacted?

 

[Coximus]

It's the area ahead of this drop.. about access is only from the bottom so can't get easy up, and it's uncultivateable. Can see the wet patches at the base and itnrolls in divots and hilocks either side for 100 yards and 100 deep

 

[Kevtherev]

Looks like it would benefit from some lime and mole draining

 

[Coximus]

Mole draining isn9ut! I'll get another pic later but the ground level varies by 24 inches in all directions and access is not viable. Lime perhaps but ph is 5.9 so not too bad!

 

[Bury the Trash]

chicory is surprising where it will grow.

sown some alsike recently, to try.

 

[Coximus]

From the bottom

 

[JD-Kid]

radishs will work at breaking up soils chicory will break up soils too a good crop of them before sowing perm grass will help with the soil broken up