Grass growth

[Sandstone1]

I know its been cold but the grass seems really slow to come through this year. By now I would normally be having to restrict grass but it hardly seems to be growing at all yet. I have only cut my lawn once so far too. Hope it starts to grow soon.

 

[meleeka]

We need a bit of warmth now I think.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I have cut my lawn twice but the fields aren't really growing. Good for the laminitics but not for the sheep.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Mine don't look that green but they seem to be grazing a lot and not scoffing the hay that I put out so I suppose something is growing ?

It's been bloody freezing here since Thursday really windy and cold a bit of a shock as it was 18 degrees the week before

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Given that we have had such a mild winter I’ve just cut the lawn and orchard for only the second time this year and the horses swapped to their track field yesterday minus the track bit as it’s not growing much at all.

 

[Horseysheepy]

We've had to hay our horses far more than usual for the time of year and we are running out of decent grazing to turn ewes and lambs out on. We have sun but not the warmth!.

 

[spotty_pony]

Plenty here - don’t want any hay at all!

 

[L&M]

I hate to say it but I think we need some rain.....has been dry and cold for several weeks in mid wales, and we had more grass growth in late february/early March. All the grass that started to grow has been grazed off so back to putting out hay.

 

[SEL]

Glad it's not just me. I did a count of hay bales 4 weeks ago, adjusted for the fact they'd usually be on half measures by now and told the farmer I wouldn't need to reserve any. Regretting that!

 

[SEL]

Although it's non stop wet stuff this morning. Grumpy horses.

 

[Bobthecob15]

Yep same at ours, the fields are pretty barren! Horses are due to move to thier summer fields any day but even those are not exactly lush....hope it gets going soon!

 

[Boulty]

Our grass has been coming through for about the last month & the last few days the pony has been doing disgusting green poos. He really needs his muzzle on (well needed it weeks ago really) but he's got a wound right where the noseband sits that I'm waiting for it to heal. Barely touching hay... eating about 1.5kg in 12 hrs when in overnight. (I'm providing double that but gradually tapering it down if he continues to waste so much) Grass in back garden has gone mad in last few weeks & desperately needs cutting when it dries out (currently has some standing water)

 

[Sandstone1]

Hopefully the rain we had yesterday and temps going up a bit will help but its slow this year.

 

[Birker2020]

It grows when its over 5C so should be coming through. It is in our fields as I saw a distinct demarcation line when I moved my strip fencing.

But it doesn't feel like its growing as fast as it normally does. We are in Warwickshire/West Mids area.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

It grows when its over 5C so should be coming through. It is in our fields as I saw a distinct demarcation line when I moved my strip fencing.

But it doesn't feel like its growing as fast as it normally does. We are in Warwickshire/West Mids area.

It grows when the soil temp is consistently over 6 degrees. We have had some really cold nights which have knocked ours back. The horses are eating more grass than hay but we never have enough grass so have to hay all year.

 

[Birker2020]

It grows when the soil temp is consistently over 6 degrees. We have had some really cold nights which have knocked ours back. The horses are eating more grass than hay but we never have enough grass so have to hay all year.

https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/when-does-grass-start-to-grow.691438/



I've always read 5c but whatever.

 

[Squeak]

I'm glad it's not just mine. I'm back to feeding hay as well now that the spring field has already been eaten. Hoping that it gets going again soon.

 

[eggs]

It doesn't look like it is growing but the horses are definitely not interested in coming in (a few weeks ago they would be standing by the gate waiting) and are definitely eating less hay at night.

We have cut the lawns a couple of times already.

 

[maya2008]

We have just stopped feeding hay and put the ponies on the summer fields. Grass is a few inches long and growing (slowly, but it’s happening!). We are in the south though so have had plenty of warm afternoons in between the colder weather.

 

[dorsetladette]

I think we must have something growing as they are out grazing more and their hay consumption is dropping. But I can't see anything significant yet.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/when-does-grass-start-to-grow.691438/
View attachment 90177


I've always read 5c but whatever.[/QUOT


Only saying 6 degrees as someone I know tests soil etc and is in that industry but as you say whatever. Its only a degree!!

 

[Wishfilly]

I'm pretty far south, and I'd say ours is definitely growing- ponies have been reluctant to come in for the past week or so, and you can see on ungrazed fields/the sides of our tracks that spring grass is coming through. The fields still look pretty bare, because any new growth is being eaten (or trampled) pretty quickly, but I'm not sure that will last for long.

I do think we haven't got proper spring grass yet, and the growth is probably inconsistent but my pony is in a field with a small area behind an electric fence, and you can 100% see the difference. (The nettles are also growing hugely ¬¬).

 

[Surbie]

Our little group aren't loitering by the gate waiting to be brought in, so the grass is definitely coming through. One of them is quite snarky, so I am assuming he is having to work for it though. The buttercups and ragwort are already making strong appearances - I'll be out with a rag fork tomorrow to grub out as many rosettes as I can find.