The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: Mel Rice on October 05, 2012, 10:00:41 pm

Title: to plough up grass and re seed?
Post by: Mel Rice on October 05, 2012, 10:00:41 pm
The buttercups have taken over...they are mixed with red clover and a bit of grass. would anyone recomend ploughing and reseeding with grass-seed? Would you sugest killing it all off with roundup first? I can only do 1/2 the feild at the most so there is still something to eat.
Title: Re: to plough up grass and re seed?
Post by: deepinthewoods on October 05, 2012, 11:34:37 pm
im not knowledgeable on this but remember a thread previously that talked about liming the soil to change the ph, i think buttercup likes acid soil.
Title: Re: to plough up grass and re seed?
Post by: Small Farmer on October 06, 2012, 03:31:22 am
Roundup needs the plants to be growing vigorously which probably isn't now.  But liming would be effective now.  You should test to get the pH first to find the coverage and there are contractors who specialise cos it can be quite a lot.  Liming is very effective and cheap
Title: Re: to plough up grass and re seed?
Post by: ballingall on October 06, 2012, 11:07:52 am
It can be slow progress to lime. I remember Rosemary posted about a certain about of lime per acre will raise the ph by 0.5 I think. But putting on too much doesn't just raise it the ph higher, you have to work on it. We now lime in autumn and early spring, and keeping the grass well trimmed helps. We have had orphan lambs this year, and the buttercups haven't had a chance to flower, so I think that helps too, as it means no more seeds getting out there. It is horrible stuff- so invasive.


Beth
Title: Re: to plough up grass and re seed?
Post by: Small Farmer on October 06, 2012, 05:18:01 pm
We did plough out a field last winter - and that brought on the thistles and nettles in vast quantities so we've had to do a lot more spraying than we hoped for.


We had Macaulay Soils do an analysis on our grazing land.  On part the pH came out at 5.67 against a target 6.5 so requiring 8.3t/hectare of lime - not more than 4t/ha at a time.  We also needed 40kg/ha of Phosphate and 80kg/ha Potash.  That was two years ago and we're re-testing at the moment




Title: Re: to plough up grass and re seed?
Post by: Mel Rice on October 07, 2012, 03:58:26 pm
Thanks I will have to get a tonne delivered. (lime that is  )
Do you have to get a spreader or can I do it with a barrow and spade? Ive not got that much  500 sq metres or so.
Title: Re: to plough up grass and re seed?
Post by: Small Farmer on October 07, 2012, 06:08:10 pm
We had it spread but that was in 10t loads by a contractor. 


I believe you can get is as a prill - like fertiliser for a spreader - but I'd love to know where.  I don't see why it couldn't be spread with a shovel off the back of a trailer.  I'd volunteer to drive though :)




Title: Re: to plough up grass and re seed?
Post by: ballingall on October 07, 2012, 09:14:32 pm
We spread our own but we have a tiny field. I pressurise the 4 nieces into helping, and it only takes between half an hour to an hour when you have 5/6 people crossing the field a metre apart.


Beth