gs4 legume and herb rich

[spin cycle]

anyone grow this?.....whats it like to establish/weed control?.....can it make hay?...though nutrient depletion could be a problem .......grazing wise what sorta lsu can it reasonably support without falling foul of regs

 

[Drago]

I take 1cut 30 acres of a gs4,
We apply slurry via umbilical hose (3km from lagoon)
It grew 7.5t acre of silage suitable for dry cows.
I'd be paying be paying per ton of silage on dm basis.
Farmer happy because not removing nutrients also has grazing before and after for his sheep.
Putting another 25 acres into gs4 next year.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

It is tricky to get established.
The last two years we have had total failures, mostly due to dry weather last year and this year we planted it at the end of March when it was perfect conditions, but 5 weeks of frosts after that finished it off.
Thistles are a problem.
When it is good it is very good!

 

[CopperBeech]

Seems to go in ok here, can make hay but wrapping better, can hold a lot of stock if you get it in right.

If anyone wants to put any in and rent it out let me know

 

[Jerry]

What mixes are people using? I’ve got two fields to go in after harvest this year.

 

[Drago]

Would add the landowner put in the gs4 after a crop of potatoes so were sown in early August, had a good establishment.

 

[Jimdog1]

20 acres put in spring 2019 were smothered in fat hen which was a bit of a nightmare. This year put in good grass mix at lower rate, sprayed weeds after establishment and direct drilled gs4 after. Waiting for that to appear......

 

[spin cycle]

20 acres put in spring 2019 were smothered in fat hen which was a bit of a nightmare. This year put in good grass mix at lower rate, sprayed weeds after establishment and direct drilled gs4 after. Waiting for that to appear......

fat hen would be nightmare here....i wonder if overseed into tired ley might be better

 

[Jimdog1]

fat hen would be nightmare here....i wonder if overseed into tired ley might be better

It was very dry and grass took a while to get going. Fat hen came out of nowhere and exploded. I should have stocked it hard before it got too tall. Ended up cutting and baling to clear.

 

[steveR]

It is tricky to get established.
The last two years we have had total failures, mostly due to dry weather last year and this year we planted it at the end of March when it was perfect conditions, but 5 weeks of frosts after that finished it off.
Thistles are a problem.
When it is good it is very good!

I feel your pain. Best done post-Harvest if able IME....

 

[spin cycle]

I feel your pain. Best done post-Harvest if able IME....

post harvest seems best idea weed control wise.....would you claim for it in first year if not sown at claim time ....i suppose you'd do one a those forms to say you were going to it then submit


perhaps nectar plots better......feckin awful but you need less

 

[Bill the Bass]

fat hen would be nightmare here....i wonder if overseed into tired ley might be better

Anyone tried this?

 

[Samcowman]

post harvest seems best idea weed control wise.....would you claim for it in first year if not sown at claim time ....i suppose you'd do one a those forms to say you were going to it then submit


perhaps nectar plots better......feckin awful but you need less

GS4 only has to go in in the first 12 months so plenty of time to put it in. Have got 10 acres going in DD into sprayed off grass ley in the next couple of weeks then more in the autumn into arable and also grass ley.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

fat hen would be nightmare here....i wonder if overseed into tired ley might be better

What's your soil type , we do a heavy to normal soil gs4 without Lucerne and Sanfoin that's easier to establish, if I've got a weedy field , then get it ready to sow and leave it for the fat hen to geminate first take that out with a light spray then sow

 

[spin cycle]

What's your soil type , we do a heavy to normal soil gs4 without Lucerne and Sanfoin that's easier to establish, if I've got a weedy field , then get it ready to sow and leave it for the fat hen to geminate first take that out with a light spray then sow

sandy clay loam

 

[Derrick Hughes]

sandy clay loam

Have you grown Lucerne or Sanfoin in the past ?
If it was my field I would get the weeds under control before I sow as your limited on sprays after , plenty of time left

 

[spin cycle]

Have you grown Lucerne or Sanfoin in the past ?
If it was my field I would get the weeds under control before I sow as your limited on sprays after , plenty of time left

not grown those before......i'm actually preparing a wildlife offer application....gs4 is my current gp1 thought

 

[Samcowman]

What's your soil type , we do a heavy to normal soil gs4 without Lucerne and Sanfoin that's easier to establish, if I've got a weedy field , then get it ready to sow and leave it for the fat hen to geminate first take that out with a light spray then sow

Definitely worth tailoring the mix to soil type. Chose a mix without Lucerne and sainfoin for that very reason.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Definitely worth tailoring the mix to soil type. Chose a mix without Lucerne and sainfoin for that very reason.

Main thing is he controls the weeds first as it's not good to Graze Herbal Leys to soon after sowing and it can't be sprayed , only limited use of a weed wiper is allowed I believe

 

[Two Tone]

You have a whole year to plant it in the first year of your Stewardship agreement. So you can take an arable crop off and plant it in the Autumn.
I established mine by broadcasting with a Slug Pelleter onto a seedbed. You may need to top it in that first Autumn.
You can apply P&K, but not N.
I take 2 cuts from it each year, in June/July and September. The Rules say it must be left 6 weeks, between cuts.

I’m in year 5 of mine now. This is the cut we took in Mid June this year.

The 2nd always has much more clover in it.