[wildandwooly]

Has anyone added chicory or clover or any other herbal plants to their pasture/meadow? Or added anything like yellow rattle? If so how did you go about it?

[Backinwellies]

dont add yellow rattle if you still want grass in your ley .... it completes it out..... is used to develop a wildflower meadow where you want to reduce the grass. 

[landroverroy]

Yes. I always add clover to the mix - usually just white, not red. Its gives variation to the pasture/meadow and provides more nutrients then grass alone as well as adding nitrogen to the soil. I've also used chicory. It is a natural wormer and well liked but I've never got it to last more than 2 years.


To me, the best grass fields should contain a variety of plants. How would you like to eat just the same grass all day? Also, the sweet smell of meadow grass which sheep prefer to eat is due to the variety of plants in it. 

[wildandwooly]

Trying to encourage as much variety as possible so yes agree landroverroy    It was a traditional meadow which is SSSi but was very very neglected when we bought it. It's in poor condition sadly. I'm trying to restore it and restore the variety it once had. Because it's a SSSi we have to have a late cut hay wise here although mine hadn't been cut for @9 years!! You can prob imagine what it looks like  The meadow on the opposite hillside was part of a project to restore or improve the meadows here which are 40% of the UKs traditional meadows but sadly that finished a few years ago before we moved here. Bad timing!
Yellow rattle has been suggested SD and someone has given me the name of a company who can provide it 
Is there a reason why you use white clover over red landroverroy? I've seen red clover in a few small places in the field but not much. Not sure about white I must look closer but it's not very obvious if it is. Excuse my ignorance if white clover is better! I have no idea
I'm thinking of adding the chicory as as you say it has been shown to be a natural wormer which is why I'm thinking of using it. I don't know anyone else here who has added it....yet!

[Fleecewife]

A few years down the line your meadow is going to be so beautiful. 


Where I grew up in Norfolk, there was chicory growing in some of our fields until the pigs were put there and destroyed it.  Chicory flowers are just the most perfect sky blue.  We also used to have scarlet pimpernel in the grain fields, near the gates where it was a bit poached by vehicles - such a tiny but perfect flower. I've never seen it growing wild since then.


We were recommended not to use red clover up here because it's not so hardy as white I think.  The flowers of red clover are bigger than those of white, which perhaps attracts a different type of native bee, although I don't know. A slight drawback of adding clover for a flower meadow is that it will be adding nitrogen to the soil, when for many wild flowers you need nitrogen-poor soil.   Have you approached one of the seed companies that do organic herbal ley seeds?  They will give you good advice on when and how to sow it in your specific area.  They will also make you a mix tailored to your specific needs.

[SallyintNorth]

Re: red clover, it can have an oestrogenic effect so can do things like cause mammary development in ewes who aren't pregnant (I have seen this) and I have heard it said that it can have a contraceptive effect - so don't tup on red-clover-rich pasture!  lol.

I think maybe white clover doesn't have the same effect on nutrient levels either.  Generally if I see red clover, it's in a rich, lush sward, whereas white clover seems to indicate a poorer pasture.  But that's an observation, I haven't read up on it.

[wildandwooly]

Thank you Sally I'll keep that in mind 
And thanks SD, I'm in the North of England but I will look up your suggestions. Thanks a lot for the links 

[macgro7]

A few years down the line your meadow is going to be so beautiful. 


Where I grew up in Norfolk, there was chicory growing in some of our fields until the pigs were put there and destroyed it.  Chicory flowers are just the most perfect sky blue.  We also used to have scarlet pimpernel in the grain fields, near the gates where it was a bit poached by vehicles - such a tiny but perfect flower. I've never seen it growing wild since then.

We have scarlet pimpernel growing in gaps in pavement just outside our house!

[wildandwooly]

Don't be tempted to eat it m7 it's toxic and at the very least might give you gastroenteritis (I'm sure you hadn't thought of doing that  )
It's also toxic to animals so not something you'd want in your pasture!      But very pretty 
Think it might be loosely related to Primroses but I may well be wrong on that

[Fleecewife]

Ooh I didn't know it was toxic     Not that I ever put any in my mouth - far too tiny and pretty for that.  Lovely you have some Macgro

[wildandwooly]

Scarlet Dragon thank you very much for all the brilliant links. Really helpful