- Location
- Welshpool Powys
How old is the ley you are wanting to reseed?
Short disc for reseeding old leys
- Thread starter Sheepykid
- Start date
I’ve only witnessed a couple of neighbours go for that approach and both have stopped doing it. They didn’t take well at all. But I guess there must be a fine art to it.
Many many years. Possibly 30 years? Maybe more.
Looking at refreshing a worn out 4 year ley here, but I have mown and removed a thin hay crop and now I'm waiting for it to green up and spray off, then in like Kev with the Brassica down the DD spouts. No ryegrass going in this time either!
Reseed asap in Spring, although like you, I prefer Autumn.... Last 2 Springs have been hell for small seed establishment here.
Plan B.. Where did I leave that can of Dursban.....
Would ploughing lessen the risk of any creepys wrecking the ley or is it still a risk when breaking a old ley?Looking at refreshing a worn out 4 year ley here, but I have mown and removed a thing hay crop and I'm waiting for it to green up and spray off, then in like Kev with the Brassica down the DD spouts.
Reseed asap in Spring, although like you, I prefer Autumn....
Plan B.. Where did I leave that can of Dursban.....
Speak to your agronomist, but from experience a few times here, summer ploughing can allow you to hammer some of the grubs, but having seen a nicely growing new ley suddenly start to die in front of my eyes, it does make you wonder.
I don't think there is much in the armoury for control these days..? Gammacol worked into the seedbed was a tidy little number, but wreaked havoc on the soil fauna! Long since banned
Simon Chiles
DD Moderator
- Location
- Surrey/ Kent Border, UK
Drill operator is the most important part of the equation, second most is having the right type of grass seed and thirdly is the choice of drill. Direct drilling would lessen the effects of your creepies as the firmer the soil the less chance they have of moving around and you’ve still got the remnants of the old sward for them to munch on.
- Location
- Welshpool Powys
Leatherjackets would be a risk in a very old ley but sometimes ploughing and cultivate quietly and let the birds pick them off.
Dursban did a great job but I can still smell it now
Dursban did a great job but I can still smell it now
I’ve done one field in May this year that we broke that was a old ley we’ve put it to kale to break again to put back in grass this autumn. The kale hasn’t come up too bad. But the birds were having quite a feast for a few days on it. I assume that was after leather jackets.Leatherjackets would be a risk in a very old ley but sometimes ploughing and cultivate quietly and let the birds pick them off.
Dursban did a great job but I can still smell it now
That's it... several passes with light harrows was what I saw done "back in the day" which had the effect of exposing grubs as well as hlping break down a seedbed. Hard to believe at times, but Rooks were known as the "farmers friend"....!Leatherjackets would be a risk in a very old ley but sometimes ploughing and cultivate quietly and let the birds pick them off.
Dursban did a great job but I can still smell it now
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Another option is to spray off and DD a short term mix of IRG and rape and/or clovers. That will give you a bumper Autumn lamb finishing crop, with the remaining IRG coming back to give an early bite for ewes in the Spring.
Decide at that stage, whether to spray off and reseed properly, or run through to the Autumn and do the same then.
My favoured option is a mix with clovers these days, given the price of N, and I have 18ac of that waiting to go in imminently for a similar scenario. I might chuck some brassicas in too, just to add more diversity/spread risk.
- Location
- Welshpool Powys
You could also just about squeeze a hybrid Rape in direct drilled and grazed off before cultivating up to reseed in September.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
I’ve experimented with that approach, and concluded it was only any good for seed salesmen and DD contractors.
Whose clover/IRG are you using Neil?
Think so?? Hmmmmmmmm.
Bit of rain this week forecast.....
Wonder what Wynnstay have in stock.....
- Location
- Welshpool Powys
Swift probably
Timbo
Member
- Location
- Gods County
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.
Same. Did all my winter cereals behind mine.
I tried it once in spite of being warned not to by several inmates here....I’ve experimented with that approach, and concluded it was only any good for seed salesmen and DD contractors.
mf298
Member
- Location
- Ayton, Berwickshire
Done this 30 odd years ago. Gramoxone was the weedkiller of choice then! It worked well as long as enough moisture to allow quick germination before old grass came back!
Just remembered... I have some Interval in the store.... Would that do??
Bought it for a rescue mix to get some green cover on a failed birdy crop area.