Too early for a grass mow?

[OTR]

A question from a newbie
I bought a smallholding last year which hadn't a grass cut since 2017. Fortunately, the grass kept well.
Now I have a tractor to cut the grass, is it too early to mow?

 

[Lofty1984]

A question from a newbie
I bought a smallholding last year which hadn't a grass cut since 2017. Fortunately, the grass kept well.
Now I have a tractor to cut the grass, is it too early to mow?

Mow for what? Bales ? Or more to tidy it up?

 

[Hfd Cattle]

Yes . You will end up with a mess. I doubt the ground will carry that well because if the grass is thick then it won't have dried up much yet. If you were to mow then you would have to bale and wrap and there would be no goodness in it at all. It may be better to find someone who may have some old ewes around to graze it down hard or just wait till April when you have some new growth in it (hopefully)and make some better silage.
You didn't mention how big a patch it is.

 

[Dry Rot]

I think the OP may be in need of an agricultural adviser. Do they still have them? When I started here over 35 years ago advisers used to come out from the local agricultural college for free, but these days you'd probably have to pay. Even so, it would be money well spent....or rather invested.

 

[OTR]

Thanks for the advice.
I'm just mowing to tidy up and prevent it from turning into a scrubland. It is 11 acres in total.

 

[Mouser]

Not worth the risk, if stubble gets a hard frost or cold and wet before it recovers it'll ruin it. Same if grazing sheep, don't want it too bare til late march / early April.

 

[OTR]

Excellent. I'll hold tight

 

[z.man]

I think the OP may be in need of an agricultural adviser. Do they still have them? When I started here over 35 years ago advisers used to come out from the local agricultural college for free, but these days you'd probably have to pay. Even so, it would be money well spent....or rather invested.

 

[Skintagain]

A question from a newbie
I bought a smallholding last year which hadn't a grass cut since 2017. Fortunately, the grass kept well.
Now I have a tractor to cut the grass, is it too early to mow?

2 years growth will likely make some horrible silage as it will be full of dead matter. It would probably turn out better as hay in May or early June then another cut of better silage later on. Failing that mulch it now and let it come back harrowing or a couple of times to break the matter down.

 

[Kevtherev]

Graze it

 

[multi power]

Not worth the risk, if stubble gets a hard frost or cold and wet before it recovers it'll ruin it. Same if grazing sheep, don't want it too bare til late march / early April.

Bull poo
It's spring

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Yes get some sheep on it then top in later

 

[Hfd Cattle]

Not worth the risk, if stubble gets a hard frost or cold and wet before it recovers it'll ruin it. Same if grazing sheep, don't want it too bare til late march / early April.

Never heard such twaddle !

 

[sean m]

Thanks for the advice.
I'm just mowing to tidy up and prevent it from turning into a scrubland. It is 11 acres in total.

i could just send you some sheep is that a DT11 ?

 

[Hfd Cattle]

i could just send you some sheep is tha

There's your answer OTR. An offer of some sheep to get it grazed down hard. It's what will do it best and you should get a very good regrowth after that. .all the best .
We don't all know it all on the forum but all of us know a little bit and pooled together we move forward !

 

[7610 super q]

Can't see any harm in flailing it. Not sure I would agree about it being spring yet though.....

 

[Hfd Cattle]

Sheep would put so much goodness back in the ground.

 

[neilo]

Not worth the risk, if stubble gets a hard frost or cold and wet before it recovers it'll ruin it. Same if grazing sheep, don't want it too bare til late march / early April.

For all but my lambing paddocks (or silage ground back home), I have always tried have everything bared down in early Spring, which promotes tillering and grass quality for later.

+1 for other replies, graze it down hard. If the OP mows & bales it, it will be nothing more than very expensive belly fill for suckler cows.

 

[Mouser]

For all but my lambing paddocks (or silage ground back home), I have always tried have everything bared down in early Spring, which promotes tillering and grass quality for later.

+1 for other replies, graze it down hard. If the OP mows & bales it, it will be nothing more than very expensive belly fill for suckler cows.

Well I would say late March is early spring. Wouldn't cut or graze to the roots before that as no green plants left to take in energy to get going again

 

[Will May]

i could just send you some sheep is that a DT11 ?

692 x trap.