does anyone know about field maitenance / types of pasture etc?

[Vicki1986]

not sure im using the right terms there really!

not sure if you can see from the pic but the fields of the property my dad has bought arent really grass! (this isnt going to make sense probably!)
not sure if you can see in the pic but it all seems to be weeds and funny plants not actually blades of grass! or not much of it anyway! i want to graze my horses on this land next year... what do i need to do to it or does it just have to stay like that?! is it suitable for horses? i know i will have to put hay out as the grazing is poor...which is such a shame as aside from that the place will be fab when its all sorted out

this field is quite shady and surrounded by woods

a pic of the "grass"

 

[ihatework]

is there a local farmer you could hire the services of?
I'm sure you could improve the grazing a lot by weedkillering (is that a word?) and then reseeding with grass.

 

[spotty_pony]

I'm no expect but I expect it will need re-seeding. x

 

[ajb]

would recommend a local contractor in the spring to harrow, weed kill (in case old ragwort ) and re-seed. cant really see from pics whats on the ground but could just be old weedy pasture that needs some TLC!!

 

[Vicki1986]

Hmmm there is a farmer next door that ive known a long time therefore trust him not to rip me off! i will ask him to come round and have a look. i havent got a clue about these things!!! guess i better get clue'd up!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

It looks like you'll probably have to kill the weeds & re seed the paddock. This work can be taken on by a local contractor or possibly a nearby farmer. This site may be able to assist you in how best to go about it.

http://westward-web.co.uk/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=1

 

[MillionDollar]

TBH i think you need to start over.
Spray everything off, rotate ground and then re-seed.
That way you will get a good pasture. You can then also choose the right grass seed, e.g. the right amount of different seeds in the mixture. Loads of companies do seed mixes for different uses, such as for broodmares/youngstock, to ride on, making hay and for just normal horse grazing. There are so many different grasses so good to get advice.

 

[Tia]

Please don't expect this field to be ready to graze your horses in next year - there is no way it will be ready for that.

As Claire says, you will need to start from scratch - kill off the lot of it, turn the soil and re-seed. If you do all this in the Spring then it will be ready to use by the following year. There will be grass growing in it by next Summer if you seed in the Spring, however your best bet would be to take a hay cut from it and not allow horses on it at all as the grass root-system will not be nearly established enough to deal with their hooves. Spring/Summer 2008 should bring you a good crop of grass.

 

[pottamus]

I am with Tia on this one...although I hate to see paddocks started from scratch as you loose the old fashioned sward...but yours does not look like it has any grass species worth saving! But it is a long term process as Tia says. Well worth it though.

 

[MillionDollar]

Oh yes, definitely, forgot to say it won't be ready for grazing until 2008!

And when you do start using it for grazing please get a farmer to occassionally put some sheep on it to graze. This will limit weed growth and keep your grazing healthy (we don't ever get any ragwort growing for instants).

 

[Vicki1986]

thank you for your replies...i knew it would be a long process but i did really realise it would be that long! blimey! if i move to this place i have another field ... with grass! that i can use for the horses just didnt really want to as it desperately needs resting. thanks for all your info i now understand what needs to be done and timescales. i will contact the farmer in the spring, and for future reference, as him if he has any sheep!!! p.s. will goats work the same as sheep? as there are 7 goats i could graze on it in 2008?

 

[OWLIE185]

Use total kill now, then when ground dries up in Spring put in drainage and pipes for water troughs, use total killl again and prepare for seeding. I would suggest that you drill the seed in the Spring. Once it comes through I would cut and collect it for the rest of the season to thicken the grass up. Roll it each Spring.

(Best to keep horse off it for 3 years!)