Short disc for reseeding old leys

[Kevtherev]

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.

Had no experience of interval though I think it’s a similar hybrid
Limagrain I believe and @Great In Grass is the man in the know about it.
Winfred which is a kale x stubble turnip hybrid Quick growing and marketed by Oliver seeds

 

[Kevtherev]

Should of been in a few weeks ago though really
They say ready in 8 weeks but weather is a big factor.

 

[Wesley]

Spray off & direct drill in August if you want your field back in production asap. Will have a good bite of grass to eat off before the end of the year. We’ve found unless you have perfect weather the later you do it the less chance of a success you have. The new grass comes up but doesn’t get going enough & the old grasses can start to outgrow it & smother it.

 

[neilo]

Whose clover/IRG are you using Neil?

Who’s doesn’t really matter, it’s the ingredients that matter.

The mix I will be putting in is Protaplus (IRG + Crimson clover + Persian Clover) + 2kg/ac of Red Clover + 1kg/ac plantain (& maybe 0.5kg/ac Appin leafy turnip). Hopefully creating a big crop this Autumn, and leaving an IRG/RC/plantain mix for next year, and maybe the year after…

I’d like to have had it in weeks ago, but it wouldn’t have grown if I had as it’s been so dry.

 

[Kevtherev]

Who’s doesn’t really matter, it’s the ingredients that matter.

The mix I will be putting in is Protaplus (IRG + Crimson clover + Persian Clover) + 2kg/ac of Red Clover + 1kg/ac plantain (& maybe 0.5kg/ac Appin leafy turnip). Hopefully creating a big crop this Autumn, and leaving an IRG/RC/plantain mix for next year, and maybe the year after…

I’d like to have had it in weeks ago, but it wouldn’t have grown if I had as it’s been so dry.

Found red clover has made a terrific difference to the soil structure where I’ve put it in.

 

[icanshootwell]

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.

If the ground is dry and hard you will struggle, best I found was a set of heavy disk's. 140 hp will pull them, would cut in 3_4 inches and leave a nice till.

 

[mf7480]

We tried using a short disc for reseeding and to be honest it just wasn’t the right tool for the job. It’s much more a primary cultivator than a secondary, it’s just too course a finish for grass seed.

With limited control methods available for wireworm and leatherjackets all our grass re seeds are going into wheat before returning to grass the following autumn. We then Shakerate, short disc, rolls with levelling paddles, combi drill, roll. By no means the cheapest establishment method but we’ve found we get very good germination and smooth fields that way. Mostly 4 year red clover leys now.

We tried short discing straight into turf before and it was a bit of a disaster, it just leaves bit grass clods you can’t do a lot with.

 

[neilo]

We tried using a short disc for reseeding and to be honest it just wasn’t the right tool for the job. It’s much more a primary cultivator than a secondary, it’s just too course a finish for grass seed.

With limited control methods available for wireworm and leatherjackets all our grass re seeds are going into wheat before returning to grass the following autumn. We then Shakerate, short disc, rolls with levelling paddles, combi drill, roll. By no means the cheapest establishment method but we’ve found we get very good germination and smooth fields that way. Mostly 4 year red clover leys now.

We tried short discing straight into turf before and it was a bit of a disaster, it just leaves bit grass clods you can’t do a lot with.

I’ve found it makes a great job as a secondary cultivator, but just needs several passes, each pass chopping it finer.

That said, I would generally try to avoid cultivating old turf if I can, preferring to spray off and DD, then cultivate (if needed to level) after the old thatch has broken down.
A cereal or brassica break is ideal for that.

 

[mf7480]

I’ve found it makes a great job as a secondary cultivator, but just needs several passes, each pass chopping it finer.

That said, I would generally try to avoid cultivating old turf if I can, preferring to spray off and DD, then cultivate (if needed to level) after the old thatch has broken down.
A cereal or brassica break is ideal for that.

Id agree to an extent. The trouble is if it takes three passes to do what a powerharrow can do in one, it had just as well be powerharrowed?

 

[neilo]

Id agree to an extent. The trouble is if it takes three passes to do what a powerharrow can do in one, it had just as well be powerharrowed?

It does take more passes, but they are faster and cheaper each time.

The adjoining fields I mentioned being worked for maize were ploughed, then powerharrowed twice, using a 200hp MF going slowly. My fields were run over at speed three times with a 4m Shortdisc on a 160hp JD achieving a similar seedbed to similar depth.
I know which I prefer.

 

[Optimus]

I was thinking about a set for reseeding and leveling a bit of ploughing.would the discs be ok for a couple of passes then sow with a gutter that has a powerharrow to get nice finish?

 

[Phil P]

This is the little patch of grass I established with the short discs to extend a horse paddock, was only two passes then rolled. Was into cereal stubble on very light ground though so didn’t take a lot of breaking down.

they’ve worked great for establishing covers with one pass into stubble.

 

[Andy26]

Great for incorporating lots of residue, last years AB9 worked in,

 

[Andy26]

It does take more passes, but they are faster and cheaper each time.

The adjoining fields I mentioned being worked for maize were ploughed, then powerharrowed twice, using a 200hp MF going slowly. My fields were run over at speed three times with a 4m Shortdisc on a 160hp JD achieving a similar seedbed to similar depth.
I know which I prefer.

Definitely faster and cheaper than a power harrow and doesn't smash the soil to oblivion like a power harrow does.

Much more satisfying zipping along at 14k at little more than tick over, than being at PTO revs crawling along with a PH.

 

[mf7480]

It does take more passes, but they are faster and cheaper each time.

The adjoining fields I mentioned being worked for maize were ploughed, then powerharrowed twice, using a 200hp MF going slowly. My fields were run over at speed three times with a 4m Shortdisc on a 160hp JD achieving a similar seedbed to similar depth.
I know which I prefer.

To be fair I find it’s best to have both on farm, I wouldn’t want to sell one or the other.

 

[Pistonbroke]

We have got one for reseeding ground that's too Rocky to plough but as said above,first pass into an old sward will be the biggest feckin mess you'll have ever seen. Another few passes and all of a sudden it comes good but it would be better
if the mat gets broken up by a crop of roots first.

 

[DrDunc]

For forage rape ground, I tried discing a burnt of ley last year. Ground was bone dry, but good rain was forecast and did come after seeding

..... This year back to ploughing 4 to 5 inches and totally inverting the sod, followed by power harrow. Not much difference time wise, but using 5l/acre more diesel compared to discs.

Discing left an unholy mess of chopped sods. Ground was very rough to travel over sowing with the einbock harrows, and this year took a couple of very slow passes with the power harrow after ploughing to get it level for grass reseed

Into an open sward or cereal ground, I see the discs making a lovely job (neither of which I have on this hill farm), but on tough old ley hardened by drought I won't be repeating the discing experiment!

If the ground had some moisture, they might work ok for forage crops? But seriously doubt if you can get a level enough fine seed bed when reseeding grass to grass?

 

[mf7480]

As a bit of an aside, does anyone else find their short discs leave a grip on one side and a heap on the other?

With greenstar we work it in lands so usually filling in the grip, but still find it a bit of a pain. Is there anything that can be done to minimise it?

 

[Timbo]

As a bit of an aside, does anyone else find their short discs leave a grip on one side and a heap on the other?

With greenstar we work it in lands so usually filling in the grip, but still find it a bit of a pain. Is there anything that can be done to minimise it?

With one set of discs , theyre always going to push soil one way only.

Ours are the same. We work in lands with GS and if you go round and round anti clockwise you're fine.

 

[Bobthebuilder]

It will all depend on the type of land you have, nice light soil and a short disc of some sort will work perfectly with but heavy land will take multiple passes to create a nice seed bed, also what drill are you sowing the grass with