How do you get green green grass!!!

[YummyHorses]

Am in the process of purchasing a property, should exchange in next few weeks and aim to complete later this year.

It has about 10 acres and the current owners have just had the paddocks cut for the first time in a long time - I guess about 2 years. The paddocks now look a bit of a mess with the grass looking brown, old, sour and well just disgusting! I hope to purchase a pony for my kids and a plod for my mum next spring so need it up and ready, tasting loovverrrlyyy for then.

What do I do? My parents said it needs treating. Would fertilizer, nitrogen help or do you think it needs more than this.

I have managed to make friends with a local farmer so plan on inviting him round to get his views but thought in the meantime I would ask my trusted friends on the forum for their views.......on what to do and what not to do!

 

[f_s_]

Don't fertilise!!!! The grass will flush soon, and will be very green very quickly!!!

Unless you're planning on having a string of TB's I would leave it as it is

believe me, you'll soon have plenty of grass on 10 acres for two horses/ponies

 

[CastleMouse]

Come to Ireland

 

[eoe]

Plenty of rain and plenty of sunshine.

 

[YummyHorses]

But it looks terrible and looks to be in clumps rather than beautiful strands of grass (if thats how you describe grass!). This is all new to me!

My horses which will come over in time -once I have built and saved enough money to put up stables and schools etc. So will eventually have 4 on about 8 acres so still plenty to be going at.

I just feel that I should be doing something to make it better.

 

[sea_view]

Harrow and roll early April, then hope for some rain and then sun

Also, horse hooves and grass = not pretty looking

 

[YummyHorses]

I dont think its looks horrible or clumpy coz its had horses on it - i wonder whether it has had a crop on it as it feels like ridges from tractor tyres (cant see coz the grass is so bloody long)! I lost my kids the other day in it as well as my dogs!

I will see what my new farmer friend says but if i dont need to do anything then all the better as i dont have any spare cash at the moment.

Thanks for your help..

 

[The_snoopster]

Me and my friend took a field that had not been looked after well to be honest most council fields are pretty crap to start with. We had it cut about this time of year and it also looked clumpy with rows of dead brown grass but around 6 weeks later it went nice and green just wait and see what you get before spending money out,

you just never know?

 

[DuckToller]

Has it been grazed recently, or has it just been left to grow?

If it's been growing for two years and they have just had it cut, there will be a lot of cut grass lying about, which will gather in soggy clumps. Some of that will affect the grass growing underneath. Ideally harrow it to spread out the clumps so the grass underneath has a chance to come through.

If you have quite a few weeds perhaps have some of the land sprayed - the best time is spring when weeds are growing, doing it now is less effective. Then harrow and top it again and you should have a nice thick sward.

Don't whatever you do put nitrogen or fertiliser on it unless it has been heavily grazed. You won't be able to put a pony on it for more than five minutes if you fertilise. Ponies are very susceptible to laminitis on anything other than a milimetre of grass cover, and even horses get laminitis on rich pasture.

 

[Steeleydan]

Once you get the property, keep topping once a month, we moved to a similar property 10 years ago the grass was in bad condition, we top alot and our field are lush very green and as neat as our lawn, plus we pick up every single dropping.
When we moved to where we are our orchard in particular was a big wilderness, the gras was 4 foot high like brown sticks all dry and rank, once we initially got it down it soon came.
It doesnt take long to get the fields right, then just keep it right.

 

[marlyclay]

I live in suffolk and all the our grass is brown and crap...this is because we havn't had any rain for 8 weeks and very little at all over the summer.The ground is rock hard and many shows have been cancelled because of this.I think you are worrying unecessarily.If you have 10 acres and just want a plod and a pony you will have more than enough grass next year.Infact too much probably,you will have to watch out for laminitus in the kids pony .
Get some sheep to help keep it in check and restrict your future ponies to a smaller area.

 

[Old Bat]

Ditto, don't fertilize, rich grass is the last thing you need for ponies. We used to borrow sheep but now have our own small flock, they help keep the grass down and the cover quality has improved no end...less baldy bits in the summer!