New grass meadow HELP!

[CluelessAndCrofting]

We've recently planted a 4 acre field with a mix of grasses and wildflowers for horse grazing. Mid may I think it went in.

Thought it was growing really well but just today I've spotted that it isn't grass that is growing in huge huge areas of it. It's corn spurry! I had to search around on google to ID it but that's definitely what it is. I thought it was funny looking grass as it came up...

Obviously that wasnt in the mix and was sitting in the ground waiting. There are some mature plants on the field edges.

I want the field for horse grazing and it seems this stuff is toxic? Contains oxalates which cause "big head syndrome" in horses due to blocking calcium uptake. But I also read that it can be a fodder crop for sheep and cows?

I'm kind of panicking but also no idea if I should be panicking. Horses won't be going on the field until winter 2021 anyway. But do need it to be horse-safe grasses and herbs at that point.

Does anyone have any insight as to what a good course of action would be at this point? Will the grass out-compete it by next summer? Does it need spraying, obviously killing off my planned wildflowers/herbs? Or are we looking at nuking the lot, ploughing in and starting again? Or will that just give the same result?!

I think liming is an option... buuuuut our other field already has high molybdenum in the grass which is another problem as it blocks copper uptake and did I understand correctly that liming increases molybdenum uptake?

This has come completely out of left field for me. Was expecting to plant a lovely grass meadow and get a lovely grass meadow.

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[spin cycle]

for horse grazing you want tough grass...that mix you've sown won't 'cut it' IMO.....start again with westerwolds.....sorry

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Not being rude but I dont class Westerwolds as tough , it's a one trick pony [emoji16]

You need a long term mix with hardy perennials

 

[bobk]

Buy some hay , horses f**k fields up big time

 

[DRC]

for horse grazing you want tough grass...that mix you've sown won't 'cut it' IMO.....start again with westerwolds.....sorry

Not westerwolds . Won’t last.
need a long term mix with some Timothy in it

 

[spin cycle]

Not being rude but I dont class Westerwolds as tough , it's a one trick pony [emoji16]

You need a long term mix with hardy perennials

Not westerwolds . Won’t last.
need a long term mix with some Timothy in it

i know but i thought it'd be quick growing to get them outta muddle plus it's ok for coupla years IME

 

[DRC]

We've recently planted a 4 acre field with a mix of grasses and wildflowers for horse grazing. Mid may I think it went in.

Thought it was growing really well but just today I've spotted that it isn't grass that is growing in huge huge areas of it. It's corn spurry! I had to search around on google to ID it but that's definitely what it is. I thought it was funny looking grass as it came up...

Obviously that wasnt in the mix and was sitting in the ground waiting. There are some mature plants on the field edges.

I want the field for horse grazing and it seems this stuff is toxic? Contains oxalates which cause "big head syndrome" in horses due to blocking calcium uptake. But I also read that it can be a fodder crop for sheep and cows?

I'm kind of panicking but also no idea if I should be panicking. Horses won't be going on the field until winter 2021 anyway. But do need it to be horse-safe grasses and herbs at that point.

Does anyone have any insight as to what a good course of action would be at this point? Will the grass out-compete it by next summer? Does it need spraying, obviously killing off my planned wildflowers/herbs? Or are we looking at nuking the lot, ploughing in and starting again? Or will that just give the same result?!

I think liming is an option... buuuuut our other field already has high molybdenum in the grass which is another problem as it blocks copper uptake and did I understand correctly that liming increases molybdenum uptake?

This has come completely out of left field for me. Was expecting to plant a lovely grass meadow and get a lovely grass meadow.

Any thoughts appreciated.

but some sheep on it and graze it hard and see if it gets rid of the weeds

 

[CluelessAndCrofting]

How soon after sowing a new field can sheep go on though? It's only been in 6 weeks.

And yes I'm aware everyone hates horses on fields, I should keep cows instead etc. I do buy hay anyway as my horses are fat barstewards and can hardly eat any grass in summer anyway. New field is mostly for winter grazing so the spurry might not even be a problem if it dies off in winter?

But the horses won't be going near the new field for 18 months at least. Cos of stupid big hooves.

Also the grass mix I've planted is fine.

Sorry I waffled around the point. I do that.

Straight questions,

1. Will sheep grazing get rid of the corn spurry?
2. If not, what will?
3. Will sheep be ok grazing the corn spurry? (Don't want to kill any sheep either!)
4. Will I need to lime the field?
5. If I lime the field will that make molybdenum levels in the forage much higher?

Do I nees to actually just go find an expert and pay them to help me?

Thanks for answers anyway.

 

[Eiddwen]

How soon after sowing a new field can sheep go on though? It's only been in 6 weeks.

And yes I'm aware everyone hates horses on fields, I should keep cows instead etc. I do buy hay anyway as my horses are fat barstewards and can hardly eat any grass in summer anyway. New field is mostly for winter grazing so the spurry might not even be a problem if it dies off in winter?

But the horses won't be going near the new field for 18 months at least. Cos of stupid big hooves.

Also the grass mix I've planted is fine.

Sorry I waffled around the point. I do that.

Straight questions,

1. Will sheep grazing get rid of the corn spurry?
2. If not, what will?
3. Will sheep be ok grazing the corn spurry? (Don't want to kill any sheep either!)
4. Will I need to lime the field?
5. If I lime the field will that make molybdenum levels in the forage much higher?

Do I nees to actually just go find an expert and pay them to help me?

Thanks for answers anyway.

Yes pretty sure that sheep will eat the corn spurry and I doubt very much it will affect them, very many years ago it was actually grown as a fodder crop but it shouldn't be a problem anyway as it is an annual and will die off in winter. There is probably a good germination of it since you've disturbed the soil and agitated the dormant seed bank but you are unlikely to see much of it in your permanent pasture next year and a good grazing by sheep would certainly clear up any that may germinate next then,

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Send a picture if you can .
But if you have a good ride on mower Give it a topping ,

 

[CluelessAndCrofting]

Picture of the worst affected area. I don't think any of the grass is strong enough yet for me to do anything like graze or top and it's flowering already! I was actually considering hand pulling it but husband suggested that might take a wee while. ?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Top it
Do you have a ride on mower , take you a out two hours max. Does a fantastic job

 

[CluelessAndCrofting]

Sadly we don't have a ride on mower or any equipment at all. But we can get someone in or borrow one. We got someone in to plant it.

Is it not too early to be taking anything onto the grass though? Will it not churn it up?

 

[CluelessAndCrofting]

Sorry I keep asking the same question! ?? Happy with 'top it' as a solution, just in slight disbelief that I could do that already without damaging the baby grass.

 

[CluelessAndCrofting]

My username was not chosen lightly.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

My username was not chosen lightly.

My was younger than that . Not sure sheep would eat that and it it slightly toxic. I'm sure the may expects on here will have a different view, but I ran over my 10 acre field with a ride on mower ,its perfect now . Ride ons a very light footed

 

[muppet]

IMO either graze it with sheep or keep topping it (or both) to stop the grass getting leggy and control the annual weeds.

 

[Still Farming]

Fert,top,sheep, spray etc etc

 

[crofteress]

There's a good book you should get hold of,an old book, crofting agriculture, it will keep you right. I'm thinking you have just bought a croft in the highlands. There's a chapter in there on this stuff, yarr . Glad to hear you don't have a ride on lawn mower. That way you won't be a lawn mower crofter, there's enough of them already. Topping away all season never letting the ground nesting birds or native wild flowers back . Maybe keep a few sheep as a hobby but often nothing . There's ways to sort out the prob without topping

 

[Grassman]

I just topped my new seeds as part of the field has not grown enough for spraying and the other part is past spraying.
You can spray next spring