Short disc for reseeding old leys

[Sheepykid]

Has anyone had any success with using the above in reseeding? Thinking behind it is it’ll be quicker and cheaper than ploughing. But will it leave a level finish. With a few passes maybe.
What’s the best brands to go for? Looking at a 3metre. As we only have 140hp. There used to be a few polish made ones like Rolmako I think but can’t seem to find them anymore.

 

[Kevtherev]

@neilo has a short disc unsure of make but I think it’s Eastern European

 

[Simon Chiles]

Has anyone had any success with using the above in reseeding? Thinking behind it is it’ll be quicker and cheaper than ploughing. But will it leave a level finish. With a few passes maybe.
What’s the best brands to go for? Looking at a 3metre. As we only have 140hp. There used to be a few polish made ones like Rolmako I think but can’t seem to find them anymore.

It wouldn’t be my choice of implement for the job. Short discs tend to cut old swards into strips of turf and leave them in clumps and you’ll probably end up going over it three or four times at varying angles to achieve anything like a seedbed that you’ll be happy with. They’re ok on newer leys that haven’t grown into a mat. Personally I’d direct drill it if it’s still level or plough it if it was badly poached or rough.

 

[neilo]

Good old Brexit.

There were quite a few machines coming in from (mostly) Polish manufacturers, which were well built and very good value. Additional costs to import since Brexit mean that those manufacturers/importers have stopped bothering.

Mine is a 4m folding Polish machine that cost £6k. It is almost identical in design and build as most of the machines available here, most of which are just rebadged imports anyway.

It will create a seedbed from clay baked like concrete, with 2-3 passes, and working at 10-12 km/hr. however, it does have a few limitations ime. Each pass needs to beat an angle, otherwise it bounces and you create ‘ripples’. If you are working at any depth & speed then it leaves a furrow at one side, where the soil is thrown to far, so the last pass wants to be slower & more shallow ime.
I’m still learning with it, but it’s a fast, cheap cultivator. I’m not sure if I’d be confident enough to sow expensive grass seed with it, but I have used it to create good seedbeds prior to drilling. If I could justify a seeder on my acreage, it would be an ideal tool for establishing stubble turnips into stubble imo.

It is my weapon of choice for working down ground ahead of drilling these days.

 

[Sheepykid]

It wouldn’t be my choice of implement for the job. Short discs tend to cut old swards into strips of turf and leave them in clumps and you’ll probably end up going over it three or four times at varying angles to achieve anything like a seedbed that you’ll be happy with. They’re ok on newer leys that haven’t grown into a mat. Personally I’d direct drill it if it’s still level or plough it if it was badly poached or rough.

Thanks for that it’s interesting to hear. My reservations about ploughing is the ground is quite steep. So wanted to work it over as easily as possible. But I may have to revert to the plough.

 

[Sheepykid]

Good old Brexit.

There were quite a few machines coming in from (mostly) Polish manufacturers, which were well built and very good value. Additional costs to import since Brexit mean that those manufacturers/importers have stopped bothering.

Mine is a 4m folding Polish machine that cost £6k. It is almost identical in design and build as most of the machines available here, most of which are just rebadged imports anyway.

It will create a seedbed from clay baked like concrete, with 2-3 passes, and working at 10-12 km/hr. however, it does have a few limitations ime. Each pass needs to beat an angle, otherwise it bounces and you create ‘ripples’. If you are working at any depth & speed then it leaves a furrow at one side, where the soil is thrown to far, so the last pass wants to be slower & more shallow ime.
I’m still learning with it, but it’s a fast, cheap cultivator. I’m not sure if I’d be confident enough to sow expensive grass seed with it, but I have used it to create good seedbeds prior to drilling. If I could justify a seeder on my acreage, it would be an ideal tool for establishing stubble turnips into stubble imo.

It is my weapon of choice for working down ground ahead of drilling these days.

Thanks for that. Am I expecting too much to go straight on with the short disc then grass seeds afterwards. I’ve used discs on corn stubble to put in kale with good results. But they were heavy discs and they didn’t leave anything like a good enough finish for grass. But I’ve not tried a short disc.

 

[neilo]

Thanks for that it’s interesting to hear. My reservations about ploughing is the ground is quite steep. So wanted to work it over as easily as possible. But I may have to revert to the plough.

We’re pretty flat here, thankfully.
I might add that I worked a couple of fields down for Spring Barley in mid-April, at the same time that my neighbour was working adjoining fields for maize. All were similar soil types (over the hedge), and after grazed stubble turnips on clay.
He ploughed his, then proceeded to beat it down with several passes of a power harrow. I did 3 passes with my Shortdisc, working at around 8ac/hr. We were working to a similar depth and the resultant seedbeds were much the same, but I will have retained more moisture in a dry time I suspect.

I did have the same fella in to plough one ex-beet field this Spring, and two swift passes with the shortdisc had it worked down enough for drilling.

 

[Old apprentice]

If you are not in a big Hury to sort it then round up in autum disc in spring sod will have rated a bit over winter then seed , may be could give it a distinguished mid winter if dry enough..

 

[Sheepykid]

If you are not in a big Hury to sort it then round up in autum disc in spring sod will have rated a bit over winter.

I’m to intensively stocked really to do without the fields for that long. Plus I never make a good of spring seeding we dry out too quick here, barely a mile from the sea.

 

[neilo]

Thanks for that. Am I expecting too much to go straight on with the short disc then grass seeds afterwards. I’ve used discs on corn stubble to put in kale with good results. But they were heavy discs and they didn’t leave anything like a good enough finish for grass. But I’ve not tried a short disc.

You will need several passes with discs to create a reasonably fine seedbed, but they are cheap and fast to run each time.

 

[Sheepykid]

We’re pretty flat here, thankfully.
I might add that I worked a couple of fields down for Spring Barley in mid-April, at the same time that my neighbour was working adjoining fields for maize. All were similar soil types (over the hedge), and after grazed stubble turnips on clay.
He ploughed his, then proceeded to beat it down with several passes of a power harrow. I did 3 passes with my Shortdisc, working at around 8ac/hr. We were working to a similar depth and the resultant seedbeds were much the same, but I will have retained more moisture in a dry time I suspect.

I did have the same fella in to plough one ex-beet field this Spring, and two swift passes with the shortdisc had it worked down enough for drilling.

It doesn’t sound like from the short disc alone ill achieve what I need to. We normally use a contractor for most things. I’ll see if they fancy the challenge.

 

[Kevtherev]

You could spray off and either disc or direct drill brassicas in to break it up and reseed it next spring if that would suit?
The turf would be mostly gone by the spring and would disc up for a reseed.

 

[Sheepykid]

You could spray off and either disc or direct drill brassicas in to break it up and reseed it next spring if that would suit?
The turf would be mostly gone by the spring and would disc up for a reseed.

I know that’s the right way to do it probably. But I want to go straight back to grass. As we lamb several ewes outdoors in the spring so I want every acre to carry as many as possible. My spring seeds never get worth anything til late June normally. By then I’ve missed the boat.

 

[Kevtherev]

Another option which I’ve done in the past on more awkward fields is spray off and shallow rotavate.
Had good results.

 

[Sheepykid]

Another option which I’ve done in the past on more awkward fields is spray off and shallow rotavate.
Had good results.

Does that leave it leveller than a short disc would? Does it leave a lot of grass tabs up?

 

[Kevtherev]

Does that leave it leveller than a short disc would? Does it leave a lot of grass tabs up?

Depends really what sort of old ley and weeds are there it can look rather messy though!

 

[Sheepykid]

Depends really what sort of old ley and weeds are there it can look rather messy though!

It’s not weedy at all. It’s never more than a inch or so tall for the vast majority of the year. So it wouldn’t be a lot of material to incorporate.

 

[Simon Chiles]

It’s not weedy at all. It’s never more than a inch or so tall for the vast majority of the year. So it wouldn’t be a lot of material to incorporate.

It sounds to me that direct drilling more vigorous seeds into your existing ley is the way forward for you. Choose large and aggressive seed types, drill in the autumn and graze as hard a possible for 5 days after drilling.
PS. Accurate seeding depth is key to the job.

 

[steveR]

Has anyone had any success with using the above in reseeding? Thinking behind it is it’ll be quicker and cheaper than ploughing. But will it leave a level finish. With a few passes maybe.
What’s the best brands to go for? Looking at a 3metre. As we only have 140hp. There used to be a few polish made ones like Rolmako I think but can’t seem to find them anymore.

Not concerned about any creepy crawley pests in the old ley, hammering your new seeds?

 

[Sheepykid]

Not concerned about any creepy crawley pests in the old ley, hammering your new seeds?

That is a concern, but it would be for any following crop wouldn’t it? I know going into a kale would be less expensive a crop to lose though.