[Taliesin]

We are preparing a 1 acre field to plant a traditional orchard. A local farmer has just topped and mole ploughed the field to help drainage and we are looking to sow 1 acre of green manure seeds. Can anyone recommend an effective method to sow the seeds without too much further soil disturbance?

Our aim is to move away from machine interventions and build soil.

The field has a heavy grass and reedy sward on clay soil which has been compacted through machinery and heavy animals kept by previous owner.

[farmershort]

If there's already grass on it, then I guess you'll need to direct drill. But that does involve a tractor. It does sound a little bit like you might have mole ploughed at what may not be the ideal time... but it depends on what else is going on. Much more difficult to work once the orchard goes in.

Why are you wanting to add green manure plants to the orchard? For the trees? I doubt they'd need it. I thought most of the idea with green manure is that you plough them back into the soil afterward.

[Buttermilk]

Green manure is a quick growing crop for ploughing in.  If the field is already pasture then ploughing that in has exactly the same effect.  It is not something to put on the field and leave to self fertilise.

Once planted the tree roots will help break up the soil panning but clay is a cold soil and will stand wet most winters without proper drainage.  Mole ploughing needs doing when the ground is dry on top and like putty lower down.  Too wet and they just collapse, too dry and the ground does not form a mole.

[Taliesin]

Sorry – an error in terminology, the green manure is an understory orchard clover mix used to fix nitrogen and help the soil through cut and drop. If possible I'd like to just remove the top grass and disturb the top soil enough top get the seeds in before rolling. Any alternatives to the plough?

[farmershort]

Sorry – an error in terminology, the green manure is an understory orchard clover mix used to fix nitrogen and help the soil through cut and drop. If possible I'd like to just remove the top grass and disturb the top soil enough top get the seeds in before rolling. Any alternatives to the plough?

In this case, lots of people will direct drill things like clover, leaving the current pasture intact. If you want to go for more of a wildflower meadow vibe, then the latest thing is to direct drill some yellow-rattle in there too - which is parasitic on grass, and slows grass growth enabling other species to get a look in.

[Foobar]

Have a look at the cotswolds seeds site they have a guide on overseeding (which is what you are doing). A good spring tine harrow might do it (before and after seeding).

[valmet10]

give it a good chain harrowing ,put seed on then roll