Re-sead Method?

[tinsheet]

Right folks, I've 6 acres of kale coming to an end, now normally I'd dung it, get a contractor to plough it, I work it down, then a mate drills it with grass harrows with a seed box on (enibok 6m) lime also if needed.(had 1 ton p acre last year)
This field is steep and North facing.
The cows have made a good job of it and the kale stalks are pretty much ground level.
My question is could I get away with not ploughing it?
I think it would work down well without it. Then broadcast seed on with a vari spreader, drag then roll in.

It's going back to grass, herbal ley mix of some sort, won't ever be cut for silage just grazed by cattle.
Tools at my disposal
Zigzag harrows
Power harrow
Grass harrows
Vari spreader
Roller
Any advice much appreciated.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

If it's reasonably level, to your satisfaction, just give it a light tickle with the powerharrow and paint the seed on with your spreader.
Roll it as often as you can be bothered, the old blokes used to roll every day til the grass came up, and they didn't do it for fun

Embrace the weeds that come through as they are only doing a job, and will stuff off eventually once they've fixed the soil.

 

[Deutzdx3]

Or just go over it a few times with the einbock then on the 4th time seed it then press it. The tine Harrow will create a nice tilth if it’s own. Cheapest way to establish new grass. And reliable.

 

[Sharpy]

If it's reasonably level, to your satisfaction, just give it a light tickle with the powerharrow and paint the seed on with your spreader.
Roll it as often as you can be bothered, the old blokes used to roll every day til the grass came up, and they didn't do it for fun

Embrace the weeds that come through as they are only doing a job, and will stuff off eventually once they've fixed the soil.

Re rolling. Could that have been for wireworm or similar?

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Ploughs are expensive and overrated imho, but then I used to plough quite a bit myself

I'd stick to working just the top layer. Could you spread the seed first then level it?

 

[Dry Rot]

Re rolling. Could that have been for wireworm or similar?

Did they have heavy water filled rollers at all back then, or was it the light steel ones you see in a patch of nettles waiting for the scrap man?

 

[onesiedale]

I'd leave the power harrow parked up.
Drag the zigzags over it if its reasonably level, maybe then the grass harrow and then spin it on with the wagtail and roll and roll

 

[tinsheet]

Right, Bugger the plough, going to go for it, neighbours will think ive lost the plot, nothing new there then
Heavy harrow 1st, several times if im not nhappy ive the old power harrow to fall back on.
Was thinking roll then broadcast then harrow in then roll again,
Or harrow broadcast then roll in?
I suspect either will be fine!
The only can of worms ive opened is calibrating the old vari spreader.
Best buy a bit extra seed..
P.S cracking day today

 

[choochter]

View attachment 780388 Right, Bugger the plough, going to go for it, neighbours will think ive lost the plot, nothing new there then
Heavy harrow 1st, several times if im not nhappy ive the old power harrow to fall back on.
Was thinking roll then broadcast then harrow in then roll again,
Or harrow broadcast then roll in?
I suspect either will be fine!
The only can of worms ive opened is calibrating the old vari spreader.
Best buy a bit extra seed..
P.S cracking day today

that's what I do except first roll after harrowing and before broadcasting is with the cambridge rollers

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

View attachment 780388 Right, Bugger the plough, going to go for it, neighbours will think ive lost the plot, nothing new there then
Heavy harrow 1st, several times if im not nhappy ive the old power harrow to fall back on.
Was thinking roll then broadcast then harrow in then roll again,
Or harrow broadcast then roll in?
I suspect either will be fine!
The only can of worms ive opened is calibrating the old vari spreader.
Best buy a bit extra seed..
P.S cracking day today

If it was a regular job I'd be tempted to look for a cheap(ish) set of rolls with levelling boards on for that sort of land.

 

[JMTHORNLEY]

What did you do in the end @tinsheet and did you have any luck?

 

[tinsheet]

What did you do in the end @tinsheet and did you have any luck?

I bottled it ashamed to say!
Ploughman was next field over ploughing up for next season's kale, asked to do it and I relented
Old habits die hard!

 

[JMTHORNLEY]

I bottled it ashamed to say!
Ploughman was next field over ploughing up for next season's kale, asked to do it and I relented
Old habits die hard!

Interesting you say that, I will be in the same position in 12 months time. I would have done the same also

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Re rolling. Could that have been for wireworm or similar?

Maybe, likely it's just for consolidation purposes. They probably didn't have a little ten-ton tractor to roll with, in those days, I must admit I rolled the heck out of my last reseed and it came away great!
Firmer when it was first grazed, too.