Sweepa
Member
- Location
- Northern Ireland
Looking at my silage ground there seems to be patches of white grass just dead. What is the best way to get rid of it? A tine or chain Harrow? Then stitch grass seed in or leave alone?
Removing dead grass?
- Thread starter Sweepa
- Start date
- Location
- Near Colchester
It won't do much harm if there isn't much of it and it is still standing, save your diesel.
I have a lot in one patch that hasn't been grazed since second cut for environmental reasons, it has been like this for 4 years, a little early N and a first cut in May and job is sorted.
If however there is a great, dead grass mat then something needs to be done. A chain harrow will work really well for the first 10 yards then start to roll the dead grass up in sausages that will need removing, probably manually before the grass grows.
I have had more success on dry days when the dead grass will break up with a straw rake.
Bit late for grass seed for early cut but Westerwold came to a big late cut when drilled in April last year here despite there being no moisture (and hence no germination) until it rained in mid May.
I have a lot in one patch that hasn't been grazed since second cut for environmental reasons, it has been like this for 4 years, a little early N and a first cut in May and job is sorted.
If however there is a great, dead grass mat then something needs to be done. A chain harrow will work really well for the first 10 yards then start to roll the dead grass up in sausages that will need removing, probably manually before the grass grows.
I have had more success on dry days when the dead grass will break up with a straw rake.
Bit late for grass seed for early cut but Westerwold came to a big late cut when drilled in April last year here despite there being no moisture (and hence no germination) until it rained in mid May.
- Location
- Cornwall.
Go through with a narrow tined machine you'll be very surprised the amount of dead grass you pull out. If the ley is getting towards 5+ years then rejuvenating with an over-seed won't go amiss anyway, sow with a specialist tetraploid mixture with or without clover.
- Location
- South Wales UK
1000's of sheep.
- Location
- Mendips Somerset
sheeps feet and frost , or wet
- Location
- Welshpool Powys
Chain Harrow or einbock type machine to pull out the dead grass and thatch.
Overseeding after an einbock type grass Harrow isn’t that successful especially in older pastures.
Overseeding after an einbock type grass Harrow isn’t that successful especially in older pastures.
- Location
- Romney Marsh
The golden hoof.
Cheaper than spending man hours and expensive heavy machinery to do the job!
JD-Kid
Member
- Location
- Akaroa.. New Zealand
4 feet cheeper than 4 wheelsThe golden hoof.
Cheaper than spending man hours and expensive heavy machinery to do the job!
Sweepa
Member
- Location
- Northern Ireland
Does a tine Harrow do a better job at pulling out dead grass? Chain seems to.be good for leveling lumpy fields like a horse paddock after grazing
- Location
- Cornwall.
A tine Harrow is far far better for dead or dying grass, better for the sward overall too.
- Location
- Easter ross
If you’re going to Harrow it and there’s lots to come out, dry windy day is the best time.
- Location
- Ceredigion
i know you guys like an early cut .but dads advice a Grassland cup winner was to graze it first if it suits that is
they won't pull out and eat dead crap in the bottom of the sward.
its too late now .....best way with sheep wouldve been early winter start (if the fencing was in place
and feed out beet
and paddied it it in .
6m einbok is easy to pull and gets it up .....70hp 2wd into , will do unless you suffer from some modern 'big tractor need'disease.
Does it need lime op ?
Last edited:
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Feed it to the soil, and re-seed it after it has gone away, if you like
Most other options involve burning Carbon to waste Carbon, unless it's really poked old pasture I'd simply let it do its own thing, a good trampling with sheep, calves.. will speed the process, especially when damp.
That way it will keep the soil covered and not open it up for weeds to get a start
Most other options involve burning Carbon to waste Carbon, unless it's really poked old pasture I'd simply let it do its own thing, a good trampling with sheep, calves.. will speed the process, especially when damp.
That way it will keep the soil covered and not open it up for weeds to get a start
exmoor dave
Member
- Location
- exmoor, uk
Feed it to the soil, and re-seed it after it has gone away, if you like
Most other options involve burning Carbon to waste Carbon, unless it's really poked old pasture I'd simply let it do its own thing, a good trampling with sheep, calves.. will speed the process, especially when damp.
That way it will keep the soil covered and not open it up for weeds to get a start
Completely agree, some use of leccy fence or some strategic concentrate feeding will do a very thorough job
*lightly* poached (by sheep)ground often bounces back to very clean fresh grazing.
- Location
- Owaka, New Zealand
Sadly, it isn't always a practical option, I've never really given much thought to how to manage grassland with machines, and only machines..
My 'newer' style of thinking suggests there is no pasture is "bad pasture", just less of it feeds the stock and more of it feeds the soil if it comes to that
--From a mowing/harvesting paradigm this is completely wrong; because only animals can select, trample, fertilise and reseed in one pass.. it is possible to waste if you try
Mowing/harvesting is done as much as anything ..to feed and keep the stock off the wet ground in the winter. not modern thinking i grant you.
Winter keep is brilliant to get, for sheep, as its always from the new year on that's hardest to find,my neighbour kicks me out in January, because he says he will lose that early best yield and there might be dung in the silage ...
- Location
- South Wales UK
They'll tread in and break up cheaper than diesel and manure and do lot of good .they won't pull out and eat dead crap in the bottom of the sward.
its too late now .....best way with sheep wouldve been early winter start (if the fencing was in place
and feed out beet
and paddied it it in .
6m einbok is easy to pull and gets it up .....70hp 2wd into , will do unless you suffer from some modern 'big tractor need'disease.
Does it need lime op ?
earlier on through the back end/winter ...yes