New grass advise. Top or seed and haylage

[Tawney]

Need advise. I have reseeded one of my fields. It was plowed and seeded sprayed and fertilized. It now has some good growth, it's a rhy mix for horse grazing. It was quite patch to begin with but not to bad now. Now I was thinking to let it seed the cut for haylage. But the farmer who poss is just after more money says I need to top it to get it to grow back better. Like you would a lawn. It's all new grass and never been cut. And last time I topped grass it laid in the field for months dry and use less and couldn't even put animals on it. It does have quite a bit of daisys in it which the spray hasn't killed. So do I follow advise if the farmer who's a contractor and say it will thicken up my grass or do I let it seed and cut for haylage. Anyone know. Please.

 

[D14]

Need advise. I have reseeded one of my fields. It was plowed and seeded sprayed and fertilized. It now has some good growth, it's a rhy mix for horse grazing. It was quite patch to begin with but not to bad now. Now I was thinking to let it seed the cut for haylage. But the farmer who poss is just after more money says I need to top it to get it to grow back better. Like you would a lawn. It's all new grass and never been cut. And last time I topped grass it laid in the field for months dry and use less and couldn't even put animals on it. It does have quite a bit of daisys in it which the spray hasn't killed. So do I follow advise if the farmer who's a contractor and say it will thicken up my grass or do I let it seed and cut for haylage. Anyone know. Please.

Cutting it will help long term for next year but right now I would take a hay cut. Depends whether you want a crop this year or not. You could mow it now and do a late hay in august as well but you'll need more fert after its mown.

 

[Highland Mule]

Have you had the soil tested? Daisys suggest it needs lime to me. @Cab-over Pete

 

[Derrick Hughes]

You got the wrong grass mix . Basically that type of grass says F U I'm sticking my heads out .
But for some reason seed merchants love to push it . Must be more money in it for them

 

[Cab-over Pete]

You could test for pH to see if lime would be useful. It won’t kill the daisys but would make it easier for the grass to survive and compete. I would spray the daisys again.

If it’s nearly enough for a crop of hay then I would do that. The theory of topping it to get it to thrive is broadly speaking right, so if you cut it for hay then it’s as good as topping it, plus you get a crop.

 

[Tawney]

Hi. I had it tested and put limex on it. It was very low in lime but very high in sum things.

 

[Tawney]

You got the wrong grass mix . Basically that type of grass says F U I'm sticking my heads out .
But for some reason seed merchants love to push it . Must be more money in it for them

What do you mean it wrong seed. It's for horses. Tbh I should have gone with meadow. But hay ho. What do u mean sticking my heads out. Do u mean the way it's trying to seed.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

What do you mean it wrong seed. It's for horses. Tbh I should have gone with meadow. But hay ho. What do u mean sticking my heads out. Do u mean the way it's trying to seed.

It looks like early heading ryegrass to me . Dont thicken at the bottom and it shoots seed heads up to early . For horse grazing you need a grass that's persistent and hardy and tillers at the bottom

 

[Cab-over Pete]

I hope that test was done after you put the limex on.

It says 6.7, with a guide of 6.0

Firstly, 6.0 is a little low in my opinion, but plenty of people do keep permanent grass at this level, and secondly, if it WAS 6.7 and somebody recommended you put limex on then they want their backside kicking because they’ve ripped you off and sold you something you don’t need.

If that was the case I dare say they tried to justify selling that rubbish because it’s got other stuff in it, but it’s next to useless.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Who said 6. 7 is very low . Have they been on the bottle

 

[milkloss]

Agree. I’d say 6.7 was perfect for a reseed.

 

[Tawney]

It looks like early heading ryegrass to me . Dont thicken at the bottom and it shoots seed heads up to early . For horse grazing you need a grass that's persistent and hardy and tillers at the bottom

Oh that's interesting thank you. I'll make sure I don't get that again for next field. Thank you

 

[Tawney]

I hope that test was done after you put the limex on.

It says 6.7, with a guide of 6.0

Firstly, 6.0 is a little low in my opinion, but plenty of people do keep permanent grass at this level, and secondly, if it WAS 6.7 and somebody recommended you put limex on then they want their backside kicking because they’ve ripped you off and sold you something you don’t need.

If that was the case I dare say they tried to justify selling that rubbish because it’s got other stuff in it, but it’s next to useless.

Unfortantly test was done before hand. So sounds like I just chucked money away.
Lesson learned. Thank you though.

 

[Tawney]

Would flail topping be better that rotary topping.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

My last say on the matter ,
You need to cut that and bale it . Just think if you cut a lawn and leave the grass there. What does it do .at worst if its wet after kill the grass you are trying to improve. Mow it and get the grass away and it will improve it vastly

 

[Tawney]

Ok. Yes your right. I have cut before and it's just laid there for months. Thank you

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Mow and bale.
Don't scalp it though.

Whoever sold you lime wants sacking.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Unfortantly test was done before hand. So sounds like I just chucked money away.
Lesson learned. Thank you though.

Sorry to hear that. Name and shame them on here if you like.

I’m a lime a fertiliser supplier and it really boils my blood that there are idiots still peddling too much where its not needed. They spoil the job for those of us wanting to do it honestly and properly.
The whole business was rife with them years ago but I had hoped most of them had been shoved out by now.

 

[milkloss]

Ok. Yes your right. I have cut before and it's just laid there for months. Thank you

Well done. You couldn’t do better than listen to these guys, they know their stuff

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Sorry to hear that. Name and shame them on here if you like.

I’m a lime a fertiliser supplier and it really boils my blood that there are idiots still peddling too much where its not needed. They spoil the job for those of us wanting to do it honestly and properly.
The whole business was rife with them years ago but I had hoped most of them had been shoved out by now.

On the positive, it won't take any harm for a while.

Or it could grow one hell of a crop of sugar beet now