Reseeding grassland with no livestock for manure, N, P & k ?

Pennine Ploughing

Member
Mixed Farmer
About to take on a block of land a bit from home, now the land has been let out for a few years, some of the grass is tired and needs reseeding.
However no FYM is available, there is no dockings, thistle etc, fairy clean of weeds, so was against importing manure for the risk of weed seed in it.
I would like to put some phosphate and potash back in to it, but how?.
I am thinking of growing a crop of Oats on it, taking the grain off it, but chopping the straw back on the field, and incorporated back into the soil, then reseed in autumn.
reason of this is think Oats has more P&K than wheat or barley, is that right ?.
A straw for muck deal will mean again chance of weed seed and extra labour and diesel to do this. Through baling carting, then muck to cart back and spread

Or does someone have a different way to do this, and a calculation of the maths.



TIA john
 

Flatlander

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lorette Manitoba
The oats won’t produce p or k. It will only return a small amount of what it takes up. I’d be inclined to sell the straw if possible and use that money to buy fertilizer. More important to get your phos in the ground as it’s not mobile like potash or nitrogen is so topping it up after establishing the new grass is out of the question. Straw chopped up will also suck up any N in the soil until it rots down. Good for the organicmatter but I’d avoid it while trying to establish a new ley.
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
I would forget the oats that will just depleet what you don't know you have already ,
Spring reseeds seem to do better without firtilzer than autumn , don't know why , cold wet weather in the autumn I suppose can hit it hard
Small amount of p& k won't cost a lot of you need any that is , better off without Nitrogen if your sowing legumes as well , I Find Limex works well in the seedbed especially if your direct drilling ,
And I don't sell that either
 

bobk

Member
Location
stafford
About to take on a block of land a bit from home, now the land has been let out for a few years, some of the grass is tired and needs reseeding.
However no FYM is available, there is no dockings, thistle etc, fairy clean of weeds, so was against importing manure for the risk of weed seed in it.
I would like to put some phosphate and potash back in to it, but how?.
I am thinking of growing a crop of Oats on it, taking the grain off it, but chopping the straw back on the field, and incorporated back into the soil, then reseed in autumn.
reason of this is think Oats has more P&K than wheat or barley, is that right ?.
A straw for muck deal will mean again chance of weed seed and extra labour and diesel to do this. Through baling carting, then muck to cart back and spread

Or does someone have a different way to do this, and a calculation of the maths.



TIA john
Just reseed it , see what next year brings
 

hally

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
cumbria
Around Carlisle you will be looking at nearly £200/ton for fibrophos spread but that will be a full artic ( almost 5k) unless you have a local lime guy who will split a load with someone else. Try Ken Fearon at Caldbeck. Personally I would test the field as you might be surprised, I bought some land in poor state a few years ago thinking it would be low in everything and it was good in p and k ( low in lime though) but the cost of p and k now it will be expensive to put on if not needed
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I’ll second Fibrophos. Cracking stuff for supplying P&K.

How long have you got the ground for? Subdividing and rotational grazing will massively improve a tired sward ime, at a much lower cost than reseeding.
If you do need to reseed though, a cereal crop will need feeding heavily, particularly if P&K are already low, and will remove most of those inputs. Can you make use of a grazed brassica crop, before reseeding later, or next Spring?
 

Pennine Ploughing

Member
Mixed Farmer
I’ll second Fibrophos. Cracking stuff for supplying P&K.

How long have you got the ground for? Subdividing and rotational grazing will massively improve a tired sward ime, at a much lower cost than reseeding.
If you do need to reseed though, a cereal crop will need feeding heavily, particularly if P&K are already low, and will remove most of those inputs. Can you make use of a grazed brassica crop, before reseeding later, or next Spring?
Will have the land a long time, yes could make use of a brassica crop, before reseeding, it's divided into 4 now, so could do a bit each year as it were.
Just look for a cost effective way of reseeding the way inputs are at present, normally would just spring barley that is under sown, but with this land no fym is available to follow through
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
Will have the land a long time, yes could make use of a brassica crop, before reseeding, it's divided into 4 now, so could do a bit each year as it were.
Just look for a cost effective way of reseeding the way inputs are at present, normally would just spring barley that is under sown, but with this land no fym is available to follow through
Just go heavy with the Clover even add some Red , that will start feeding once established, put a small amount of Chicory In as well ,that will go deep and hunt for nutrition
 

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