Reseeding ground that hasn’t been done for 25+ years

[Whitepeak]

Depressingly heavy and wet @Whitepeak, I’d be looking to graze with sheep more so than the cattle. Really depends on the weather at the time and how well the ground will travel I think. That’s a good idea, do you know anyone locally with a DD?

Colin who owns Leighs did have a Moore's Unidrill that he hired out a few years ago, don't know if he still does now he's moved house though. Can't think of anyone else with anything up your way though.

 

[GTB]

Cereal undersown works very well
45kg to the acre of barley or oats is plenty.
Grass seed on at 14kg an acre
I drill the cereals with a combination drill then broadcast the grass&clovers on then roll with a ballast roller.
Direct drilling into old pastures works well if you burn off first with roundup then put a pioneer crop of rape or turnips then reseed the following year.
Advantage to get plenty of weed control

Have you DD'd any cereals into sprayed off grass Kev? How well did it work?

 

[Kevtherev]

Have you DD'd any cereals into sprayed off grass Kev? How well did it work?

I haven’t no Dai but others have done it successfully
Watch for wireworm [emoji106]

 

[GTB]

I haven’t no Dai but others have done it successfully
Watch for wireworm [emoji106]

What's wireworm? And how do I prevent/treat it?

 

[Kevtherev]

What's wireworm? And how do I prevent/treat it?

Risk with cereals after old grass leys of wireworm.
Not sure what Chems are available now
@Brisel May know more

 

[GTB]

View attachment 660226
Risk with cereals after old grass leys of wireworm.
Not sure what Chems are available now
@Brisel May know more

I don't think I've ever seen any? You reckon a break crop reduces the risk?

 

[Kevtherev]

I don't think I've ever seen any? You reckon a break crop reduces the risk?

Yes
Might be too wet for wireworm with you Dai
I’ve seen older grass leys ploughed up and winter wheat seriously damaged by wireworm.

 

[GTB]

Yes
Might be too wet for wireworm with you Dai
I’ve seen older grass leys ploughed up and winter wheat seriously damaged by wireworm.

I don't think we've had issues in the past. We have ploughed silage ground and sown barley and as far as I'm aware it's been ok. Is DDing barley into sprayed off grass going to be a bigger risk? Planning to try some this year but hoping to DD root crop into next years barley fields after second cut in August.

 

[Kevtherev]

Yes slightly more risk with DD and slugs will be a major issue this season I think.

 

[GTB]

Yes slightly more risk with DD and slugs will be a major issue this season I think.

slug pellets any use?

 

[Kevtherev]

slug pellets any use?

Yes get them on as soon as possible after drilling I like to broadcast them after @neilo does the same.

 

[GTB]

Yes get them on as soon as possible after drilling I like to broadcast them after @neilo does the same.

How many per acre?

 

[Kevtherev]

How many per acre?

15kg will do 4/5 acres
(Fag packet maths)

 

[Brisel]

View attachment 660226
Risk with cereals after old grass leys of wireworm.
Not sure what Chems are available now
@Brisel May know more

Only nematicides which aren't approved for cereals, are very expensive and require specialist application machinery. I'd consider a non cereal following crop like a brassica or legume. Wireworm has a 4 year life cycle so you will see some damage in cereals for a while after the permanent pasture. DD is the highest risk - plough it and for once corvids will be your friends as they will pick the wireworms out.

 

[GTB]

Why is it some say to spray roundup the day before drilling and others reccommend spraying well in advance? Not sure who to believe

 

[Kevtherev]

Spray well in advance I like and it works [emoji106]

 

[Brisel]

Why is it some say to spray roundup the day before drilling and others reccommend spraying well in advance? Not sure who to believe

It depends on what you want, what time of year etc etc. The die hard no tillers like continuous green cover. I like pests like fit fly to bugger off first

 

[scholland]

Why is it some say to spray roundup the day before drilling and others reccommend spraying well in advance? Not sure who to believe

I think for spraying off a thick old ley a good couple of weeks is required, most of the spray off at drilling or just after tends to be cover crops I think.

 

[GTB]

I think for spraying off a thick old ley a good couple of weeks is required, most of the spray off at drilling or just after tends to be cover crops I think.

Does silage ground grazed hard by sheep count as thick old ley too?

 

[neilo]

Why is it some say to spray roundup the day before drilling and others reccommend spraying well in advance? Not sure who to believe

As the thatch/mat of roots breaks down after spraying, it creates local acidity for a while. That acidity will effect germinating seedlings badly.
To avoid that effect you should either:
1. Spray off well in advance, so that the thatch has time to break down before drilling.
2. Spray off at/after drilling, so that the seedlings have already germinated before that acidification happens.
3. Apply some lime to the seedbed to counteract the acidity (not before glyphosate though, or you will neutralise some of it).