[dyedinthewool]

Hi,

We limed our paddocks a month ago - now we need to be thinking (once the weather warms up) about over seeding as grass very poor, lots of creeping buttercup (over grazed by previous owners horses) we have had the sheep on it so their droppings scattered about...

Ploughing up and reseeding not an option.

 What seed mixture should we be looking at - sheep grazing plus taking a cut of hay-haylage.

 What fertilizer should we be putting on and can we do the two at the same time - seed + fert.

There's something called 'Grasstrac' from Yara which helps correct trace element deficiencies - has anyone any experience of this product.

All comments welcome

[Rosemary]

Do you have trace element deficiencies? Have you had a soil test done?

Try www.thegrassseedstore.co.uk for all sorts of mixtures.

[NorthEssexsmallholding]

I think you overseed first and then wait until the new grass comes through before fert spreading, otherwise the old grass will take the fert and the newly sown grass will miss out, this is if you are using N for sward growth.

www.cotswoldseeds.com

They have information on there and seed mixtures.

[dyedinthewool]

We did a PH test and it was 5.0 - 5.5. reason for the liming.

Haven't done a trace element deficiency test but would imagine some trace element deficiency - so thought to use  'Grasstrac' as a 'just in case' senario.

Thanks for the seed link - need to decide between the 'traditional hay' or 'meadow fescue' partly the reason for post as not sure which would be best...

Northessexsmallholding - I can see the sense in that, just thought I had read/seen somewhere that you could seed/fert all at the same time.  Will check out cotswoldseed in a mo... now I'm thinking maybe need to overseed in the autumn so we can at least get some grass for this summer. Maybe seed and an autumn fert (no N just P and K) can be used together?

[NorthEssexsmallholding]

would have thought P&K can go on with the seed.

[Blinkers]

Hiya mate - we had the same scenario with one particular field,  and this is what we did last year:

Harrowed 11th April
Limed 24th April   (our PH was 5.
Fertilized 28th April (16:16:16 - as recommended to us for grass/grazing/haylage and also as result of NPK results)    Harrowed/overseeded/rolled 7th May (grass/white clover Mix from Countrywide - 3 to 1 mix    30kgs + 10kgs which covered 2 acres.
Fertilized June 21:8:11

Result - fabulous crop of haylage on 10th August.... and grass kept growing .. brilliant.   

OH seems to think fertilizing same time as seeding may damage seed....but that's only an assumption       OH very happy to talk through what we did and why if its any help.

Cheers

[dyedinthewool]

Hi Blinkers,

As you are just up the road - you know what the fields/soils are like round here.

 We would have liked to seed this spring and if you did it then we will give it a go - as we have limed already thats 1 out of the way. Where did you get your Fert from? CPF at St Clears only seem to have 20-10-10, we will want to take a hay/haylage cut and then graze this paddock.



Keep meaning to get up to you as would like to see your Ryelands - trying to persude OH to have them instead of the some of the girls we have - I think I could manage them better.  There always seems something to do here I will try to remember to ring you next week sometime.

[Blinkers]

Hi Dyedinthewool - Lordy, sorry - must have missed this one.    We got the fert from CCF at Crymych, it was in 600kg bags and we managed to pick em up on the flat trailer......saved on delivery costs !!     The girl in the shop is very knowledgable and helpful 

Yes, DO come visit......sheeps are all in at them moment ready for lambing...although we had a Greyface Dartmoor arrive 4 days early  so one Mum and baby bouncing around.  He's a bit like Billy-no-mates.....waiting for some chums to arrive 

[dyedinthewool]

Will definately try to get up to you this week if only to see the lamb

[Blinkers]

Got a sow due to farrow tomorrow too 

[Paul Sill]

Dont bother with Grastrac, its not a lot of good, Grass seed first then apply fertiliser several weeks later give the seeds chance to come up else the established grass will just swamp the new grass. If you can i would run a set of grass harrows over the ground first then spread the grass seed.

[dyedinthewool]

Thanks all for the very helpful advice.

Once the weather improves we shall hopefully in the next couple of weeks:-

Hard Harrow - followed by 1/2 fertiliser (getting a NPK test done) so will decide what fert needed on that result.

Seeding - followed by rolling (haven't got one yet) or light harrow, might have to tread in with the sheep  or OH may construct a roller from stuff he has lying around

Hopefully shut the field off by end April if not sooner. Apply second 1/2 of Fertiliser so we will hopefully get a small crop of hay/haylage.

In the Autumn do a PH test and lime - as we only did 1/2 the reccommended tonage per acre in January.

Seed has arrived 2 x 10kg made up of 6.00 kg certified PERENNIAL RYEGRASS - late heading-2.75 kg certified HYBRID RYEGRASS - tetraploid -1.00 kg certified TIMOTHY - 0.25 kg certified WHITE CLOVER  - small leaf.  We were told this amount would be sufficient for the 1.5.-1.75 acre field.  Wondering if we should mix with some sand to aid spreading more evenly (Smallish old Vicon spreader)

Thanks again TAS forumers 

[robert waddell]

re the vicon vari-spreader that was all we used for years no sand needed but be carefull with application rate to much and you will be short  make sure there are no holes or gaps happy seeding

[waterhouse]

Harrowed 11th April

Chain harrow or disc harrow?

[dyedinthewool]

Harrowed 11th April

Chain harrow or disc harrow?

What difference would it make Chain -Disc?

We have a 'small' set of chain harrows - OH wieghted them down with a lump of wood across the back-end used them with the spikes down.  Worked really well on the 1st paddock he's done, certainly pulled the dead grass up and out. This paddock not as bad as the one the post has been about - limed it - harrowed it a couple days ago - put some 14 -14 -14 fert on  to-day as been quite warm and a bit of rain forecast for tomorrow.