Introducing wild flowers into low input grassland

[Brisel]

As per the title really. I'm sure the mods will move this if necessary.

What kind of species would do well in low intensity grazed meadows? High pH with low P and K indices. The grass sward is pretty poor. The ryegrass has largely died out after a reseed 8 years ago. I intend to spray out the thistles, docks & nettles (which might tell you something of the current poor management). The idea will be in future to graze it no lower than around 4" tall using rotational grazing with long recovery periods. No artificial N will be planned at this stage.

I've successfullyused a few grasses with this mix but on zero grazed meadows managed specifically for the flowers. We cut & bale every September on these but there's no way that's possible in future though we could spread green hay from this mix.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Your success I suspect will depend on how fertile the soil is. If it is too pokey something else will dominate the above.

 

[Wooly]

Is this in a CSS agreement ?

That looks an expensive mix, that won't yield well, grow slowly and be full of thistles quickly....... that you won't be able to spray as half the list will be wiped out !

...................... and you will be waiting for your Nature money for years.



It looks like the mix I planted 4 years ago, that now is dominated by Oxeye daisy (and thistles) and has only seen one nature payment !