Advice on pasture please

[titbits]

We have recently moved to our own fields but there is quite a bit of work to be done, the fields are overgrown with dock leaves, buttercups, thistles and ragwort and the field although green is mainly clover rather than grass with quite a lot of bare patches. At the moment i need to use the field for grazing but its big enough to section and split into 2 for my horses but whats the best thing to do, spray and then reseed the grass or the other way around?? Advice greatly appreciated thanks

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

OK, I think firstly you need to get the grass cut ASAP just to get rid of the rubbish stuff, then I would suggest chain-harrowing it to aerate it.

Then, if you say you have buttercups, I would suggest a soil test (can get one at Mole Valley) to see what the Ph/acidity etc of your pasture is, and then seek advice if necessary as you may need to put lime down (best done in the autumn before rain! - don't forget to tell neighbours in case they've got washing out!!).

If you have access to sheep then they're super at munching down pasture, nothing better!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Sorry, important PS: forgot to say that if you've got ragwort you need to deal with this BEFORE anything else, so you'll need to put on protective gear (gloves, mask, overalls etc) and pull it up by the roots, then take it off site and burn it. Don't leave even the tiniest leaf of it in the field. Sorry meant to say this in above post. If you cut the ragwork when its growing you'll leave dry bits which are more palatable to horses, and deadly. Sorry, you will know all this, am preaching to the converted.