Any point in fertilising now?

[myhorsefred]

Hi all,

Was just considering fertilising my paddocks, but wonder, when the grass stops growing soon because of temperature, would it be a waste of money to fertilise now?

I was going to use Suregrow, and it says on their website you can use up to November and this will encourage growth. But, surely, once grass stops growing then no amount of fertiliser will make it grow again?

Maybe it would be better to fertilise in spring?

sorry if this is a daft question. most of my questions usually are numpty ones! lol

 

[Dry Rot]

Probably a waste of money. You might get some extra growth but most would dissolve in rainwater and go into your drains and ditches. Better wait until April.

 

[stencilface]

If field is left empty over the winter it might be - some crops (oil seed rape) have just been fertilised and will now effectively lie dormant over the winter til the weather picks up. you can fertilise now, but it will I think have little effect, but will just be ready in the soil for spring

 

[Polotash]

No, too late now. The grass is growing but only a tiny amount even down here (I'm in Cornwall). Save your money and fertilise when it warms up in late March or April. Next year mark September in your diary and make sure you get it down then for the autumn flush!

PS I haven't used suregrow but you can use any 15:15:15 fertiliser, you may find it's cheaper? The important thing is not to use a nitrate heavy one which is for cattle/ silage.

 

[noodle_]

i was thinking this too.... i only want approx 1/4 of an acre doing...


how do you fertilize? someone said chicken plop?!

 

[Miss L Toe]

Actually a very intersting Q OP.........
Why do you need to fertilise? That is Q 1....... a shortage of grass at the moment will have to be compensated for with hay / haylage / a short feed, imho.
I would be thinking about lime-ing at this time of year, limestone comes in two forms: cheap and not cheap. The not cheap is dolomite ie contains magnesium which is in short supply in the UK. You can't lime and fertilise in the same season as they are antagoistic.
A lot of rain falls in winter, so a lot of bagged fertiliser will runoff, if you feel grass needs a boost wait till horses have eaten off the spring flush, then fertilise, if you can't let the field rest for two weeks [rain needed], then spread just before heavy rain is forecast.
Grass grows seasonally, in spring and in autumn, ie it flushes, this grass is low in magnesium and high in sugars, so you have to be aware of laminitis risks if you fertilise at these times.
Dont use anything if land is saturated as it will runoff.

 

[Polotash]

i was thinking this too.... i only want approx 1/4 of an acre doing...


how do you fertilize? someone said chicken plop?!

Buy bags of 15:15:15 fertiliser from your local agricultural stores (25k bags). When you're ready to use pour it equally into six small buckets (any more per bucket and they're too heavy to carry easily). Decide how many bags you want to apply to each field, then equally space your buckets down the fence/ hedge line. I.e. if you want to apply one bag to an acre, and your field is 2 acres, spread your 12 buckets equally down the fenceline, then you know how thin to apply. Pick up bucket and with your back to one fence fix your eye on the point you are heading to on the far fence - otherwise you'll wander off line. Now step, and as you do so pick up a handful of fertiliser (wear rubber gloves and goggles/ glasses, it's horrid stuff on your skin) and throw it in a figure of eight "we plough the fields and scatter" style. You'll soon get into a rhythm with a step-dip-step-dip. A month later you can see how well you've done, if you've got "slices" of growth in an other wise bare field, you've not cast it sufficiently wide and thin!

I can do a 4 acre field in an hour by myself and it's really quite restful :0)

Of course if you're doing lots of land you'll need to call a friendly farmer in!

 

[Miss L Toe]

i was thinking this too.... i only want approx 1/4 of an acre doing...


How do you fertilize? someone said chicken plop?!

If a farmer offers to spread fresh chicken poop you will need six weeks to get rid of the smell, it is not suitable for horse grazing, OK for milking cows.
Best to go with a recognised company selling a suitable product, even if it is mega expensive.
Or use polotash's methods, we just don't have any agric stores round here and farmers buy in tonne bags, not sacks.

 

[noodle_]

Buy bags of 15:15:15 fertiliser from your local agricultural stores (25k bags). When you're ready to use pour it equally into six small buckets (any more per bucket and they're too heavy to carry easily). Decide how many bags you want to apply to each field, then equally space your buckets down the fence/ hedge line. I.e. if you want to apply one bag to an acre, and your field is 2 acres, spread your 12 buckets equally down the fenceline, then you know how thin to apply. Pick up bucket and with your back to one fence fix your eye on the point you are heading to on the far fence - otherwise you'll wander off line. Now step, and as you do so pick up a handful of fertiliser (wear rubber gloves and goggles/ glasses, it's horrid stuff on your skin) and throw it in a figure of eight "we plough the fields and scatter" style. You'll soon get into a rhythm with a step-dip-step-dip. A month later you can see how well you've done, if you've got "slices" of growth in an other wise bare field, you've not cast it sufficiently wide and thin!

I can do a 4 acre field in an hour by myself and it's really quite restful :0)

Of course if you're doing lots of land you'll need to call a friendly farmer in!

If a farmer offers to spread fresh chicken poop you will need six weeks to get rid of the smell, it is not suitable for horse grazing, OK for milking cows.
Best to go with a recognised company selling a suitable product, even if it is mega expensive.
Or use politashes methods, we just don't have any agric stores round here and farmers buy in tonne bags, not sacks.

Thanks

 

[myhorsefred]

Thanks everyone.

Miss L Toe - no, i haven't got a shortage of grass at the moment, but was reading the Suregrow website and they recommend you can use their fertiliser up to november. and i was wondering whether many people routinely fertilise now and up to november, or maybe spring. Personally, if i fertilise, i usually do it in spring.

thanks all.

 

[sbloom]

I know nothing about pasture but do know a little about gardens. Fertilising with a water soluble chemical fertiliser that is designed to feed the plant directly would be little use now. BUT anything that conditions the soil rather than feeds the plant may well be worth doing - I know my concentrated garden manure can be used in the winter, the worms pull it in, and it sounds like liming, and possibly your Suregrow, may well be designed to use now.

 

[myhorsefred]

Thanks sbloom - I'll have alook at the website again, see if it is for soil. thanks.

 

[Rob Lakeside]

The reason of not fertilising this time of year with a high nitrogen feed or chicken manure is that the grass needs to be strong to cope with winter cold
and will cope with resistance to mildew and fungus.
This is why only Autumn/winter ferilisers are used high in Iron and Magnesium and give good root growth only.

Hope this helps.