[Dans]

Hi all,

We're having a bit of a moss problem at the moment. Our pH seems to be ok, but we have been grazing quite  hard and the land was quite shaded by the neighbours trees (now cut down). We're looking at a moss killer and reseeding but I can't find any information on if iron has a negative effect on sheep. They'll be kept off the area for a couple months. Anyone have any ideas?

Failing that, does anyone have any other suggestions? Our chickens free range the 2.5acres and I can't move thier houses around (converted sheds).

Dans

[Rosemary]

We have a similar problem and have had in previous years. We've found that hard and regular harrowing helps with hand reseeding of any really bare bits. We started harrowing last week.

[chrismahon]

We don't use any chemicals on our land because of free ranging chickens, our dog and visiting wildlife. Last year we scarified the moss out of a small area (400m2) and this year it hasn't come back- the grass has taken over naturally. We have a few patches this year so scattered poultry grain over them- the chickens scratched the moss out to get to the grain.

[Dans]

Thank you both.

What's the difference between harrowing and scarifying(?)?

I think we definitely need to reseed, in one area I think there is more moss than grass. We probably should have looked at it when we first got the land, it seemed ok then and then the moss just took over last year when I was pregnant and not getting out much. Only realised over winter when I started getting out more.

Do you class the iron based moss killer as a 'chemical'? What about lime?

Any tips on how to Harrow without machinery? We're wanting to keep the sheep off to help the new grass grow so will only be doing about a 3rd of an acre at a time.

Dans

[chrismahon]

I don't know what harrowing is Dans, but a scarifier is like a big wire brush which scratches the moss out without damaging the grass (much). Ours is fitted into a cylinder mower which works really well but clogs quickly, so quite time consuming, although not compared to a lawn rake! We had far more moss than grass but, as previously said, the grass recovered completely. That may have been due to the weather as we scarified late Spring and the Summer heat finished the job.


I have seen seeding done after aeration- a cylinder which pushes holes into the ground. Grass seed is mixed with washed sand and brushed into the holes.

[doganjo]

Harrowing is breaking up and smoothing out the surface of the soil, ready for reseeding

[Rosemary]

Harrowing is breaking up and smoothing out the surface of the soil, ready for reseeding

Not quite. It IS doing that in an arable operation but on grassland it is the agricultural equivalent of garden scarifying.

[Fleecewife]

We have just bought ourselves a tractor drawn spring tine rake to deal with moss.  It's wonderful.  Before that we just used a big agricultural rake which is dragged behind a tractor.  It worked to some degree but our new toy is streets away in effectiveness.  However, if you have to use hand tools, then there is the same thing - a spring tine rake - available from any garden tool shop.  You can also hire a scarifier which propels itself, from a tool hire shop, for a weekend or whatever.  I've never used one, but I have tried using a garden hand spring tine rake and it's exhausting!

[Rosemary]

We have just bought ourselves a tractor drawn spring tine rake to deal with moss.  It's wonderful. 

We've got one and it's magic!

[Dans]

Ok we've bought one of the scarifier blades for the lawn mower. Fingers crossed that'll work.

Thanks all.

Dans

[Foobar]

Moss is usually the result of over grazing if PH is okay.  Don't graze your grass so short.

[DavidandCollette]

We have a harrow, unfortunately some @#$%^&&&* stole the compact tractor that pulled it

[pharnorth]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2535332

Hi Dans, I have the same problem with one of my paddocks. No doubt grazed too low.  Trouble here is drought conditions put my perfect plans for pasture management into a tail spin.

From the above reference I concluded iron to get rid of the moss would require a long rest and rain that we don't get enough off. So I am using the chain harrow to scarifynit scarify it (pull it out). Using the quad, but in the past have just used the car (providing it has a tow bar just hook the chain harrow onto it).