[Moleskins]

When would you consider harrowing your grass?

[Rosemary]

When the harrow is delivered at the end of the week 

Our grass was undergrazed last year (and many years before) so lots of thatch plus piles of dung from cows and ponies (plus some pretty big sheep lumps as well) so we'll start harrowing right away. It's dry here, of course, so if it stays that way we'll be able to get on. If it was wet, we wouldn't take machinery on to the land.

I plan to harrow each paddock once we move stock off it, to break up and spread the dung.

We've bought a spring tine grass harrow - the tines are adjustable so that you can just do the dung or you can give the grass right good going over.

[Possum]

Do you have to harrow if you only have sheep on the land? I thought that their dung might be small enough not to harrow.

[Rosemary]

Hmm, some of my sheep's piles are a fair size but that apart, harrowing with a tine harrow also helps to remove dead grass, thatch and moss, which are problems for us at the moment.

[robert waddell]

what make of harrow did you buy rosemary

[henchard]

Many farmers view grass harrowing as recreational obsession and an unnecessary waste of fuel, others swear that it improves pasture and breaks up cow pats and flattens mole hills etc. Take your pick.

[Rosemary]

For a fact, it breaks up dung and flattens molehills. I did a bit with a rake yesterday and had that effect but have neither time not inclination to do 10 acres in the same way 

All I can say is that we did our lawn with a scarifier, which is the same process, and the improvement in the grass was incredible.

[robert waddell]

harrowing causes the grass to tiller therefore you get more grass it also drags out the dead thatch allowing air into the soil  it spreads the mole hills and dung  and allows you the opportunity to see your field all over
if you don't harrow  you get less grass and the possible damage to machinery in harvesting that grass and listeria caused by soil being present in the conserved grass      to me it is a faulse economy  not to harrow

[Rosemary]

Jings, Robert, I think I agree with you 

[robert waddell]

all farming activities are recreational/therapeutic/calming  that is why every body wants to be one
it is only when you have death and have to interact with others  that it is a strain

[OhLaLa]

When would you consider harrowing your grass?

When the ground is firm enough to take the weight of the machinery.

 

[jaykay]

When would you consider harrowing your grass?

When the ground is firm enough to take the weight of the machinery.

Ha, there speaks someone else with wet land 
I have promised my mum I will go with her to an event on Sat - but it's been dry(ish) all week and really I should get onto the fields and cut the seaves and harrow.

[FiB]

I'll keep  asking  my Neighbour and when he stops looking at me agast (as he did last week) I will know it's time!!! .  Way too wet here at monent (Bala).  I think it was about April last year.  So many mole hils to flatten.

[Rosemary]

Bone dry here - could do with some rain, but not until we've harrowed.

Actually there's a wee problem - the tractor we're getting on loan, with a view to purchase, is in a shed behind a neighbour's combine and the combine won't start  Not the sort of vehicle you can push downhill and bump start 

[Hellybee]

Oh i love harrowing    its my favourite thing. off i go in the terrano with the ol harrow behind, as long as i got me tunes, a pack a fags and some pop, i ll go for hours