Poor Grassland

[Wishful Thinker]

Hi folks

Couple of pictures attached of a field of mine that isn't performing. It is rotationally grazed but isn't keeping up with the rest. Was soil tested last year (5.9) but access is an issue so only got granular lime. There were small brown patches last year but a lot worse this year. Other fields around this one have similar ph but outperform it by a long way.
Is it caused by compaction? No heavy traffic on it, fertilised every 3/4weeks and never tramped. Wetish ground, black moss type but dries quick.
Any other ideas? Seen it before?
What can I do with it? As access is difficult I'm limited in what I can do but if anyone has seen this before and improved it I will find away around doing it.
Added a photo of field opposite.
Thanks

 

[Kevtherev]

Lime and some drainage

 

[clemmo]

Any pest damage?

 

[milkloss]

5.9 is low but it should look better than that. I might suggest lack of p and k made worse because of the ph.

 

[neilo]

When I moved here, it was all low pH (far lowered than that!). With P & K on the floor too. It didn't have bare patches like that though, just low performance.

Take a spade out to look for compaction, it's the only way to tell. You say no heavy traffic, but you also say you're running over 'wettish' land spreading fert 'every 3-4 weeks'. That's plenty to cause compaction imo.

I wonder if the bare patches could have been caused by leatherjacket damage? Don't know what you can do about them in an established key now though.

 

[Wishful Thinker]

Didn't get the spade near the field tonight pouring down here but I think it's a good idea to see what is going on.

 

[holywell farmer]

Hi folks

Couple of pictures attached of a field of mine that isn't performing. It is rotationally grazed but isn't keeping up with the rest. Was soil tested last year (5.9) but access is an issue so only got granular lime. There were small brown patches last year but a lot worse this year. Other fields around this one have similar ph but outperform it by a long way.
Is it caused by compaction? No heavy traffic on it, fertilised every 3/4weeks and never tramped. Wetish ground, black moss type but dries quick.
Any other ideas? Seen it before?
What can I do with it? As access is difficult I'm limited in what I can do but if anyone has seen this before and improved it I will find away around doing it.
Added a photo of field opposite.
ThanksView attachment 565474View attachment 565476View attachment 565478

Is plough and reseed an option