How much does the grass grow from now on?

[Christmas Crumpet]

Just curious about how much the grass grows in Oct/Nov as we've had our first frost this morning but its beautiful sunshine now and supposed to be every day for the next week. We did have torrential rain for 24 hours and about an inch of rain in the rain gauge.

2 years ago, the grass just kept growing and the field we were resting grew knee high grass. We've got borrowed sheep in the field so are trying to time their removal right. Enough grass for winter but not enough to give everyone laminitis as we've got 3 fatties.

 

[wingedhorse]

tricky, as I think the frost upsets it. We have yet to go below 6. Think rain will help it grow with warm few weeks.

 

[oldie48]

OH tells me grass grows if the temp is above 50f, so during the dayATM it will grow but not at night. so it's impossible to estimate without knowing what temps we are likely to get between now and November. Not very helpful, I know.

 

[Nasicus]

I hope it does get going soon, winter field has been left since April and isn't looking too impressive 6 months on :s

 

[Polos Mum]

It grows whenever the ground temperature is above 5/6 degrees, (when it has water - so not this summer!) so it really does depend on the weather.

I am Yorkshire and previously Lincolnshire and always move mine into winter fields at xmas. I am often surprised by how much the autumn field recovers between xmas and the end of Feb each year - it often looks quite green after 6 weeks of rest - even in January.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Just be mindful that we are about to go into the Autumn flush and usually October is the month when we will get another flush of grass depending on weather. It will continue to grow over 5c. The grass has posed a problem this year as people have thought that that the dead grass that we had for a long time earlier in the year during the heatwave wasn't nutrional but it was the complete opposite and many vets were warning of an increase in lami cases. I put a link about this on the forum but can't find it now but it was something Spillers wrote about, how the dead grass stems had a lot more fructan than people thought and a lot of horses were getting caught out with laminitis.

Grass can grow between 2-6" a month depending on weather and soil type. Just because it looks like there isn't much grass in the paddock doesn't mean there isn't it just means its being eaten down quickly. My horse is strip grazed and the grass on 'the other side' of the fence line is about 5 or 6 inches so I know its growing weel. I only allow about a foot of grass per day when I move the fence in the evening before turning out for the night and I have a 'safety electric fence' behind it should she get through the first fence. I know if she got out on it overnight she would most likely die so I am very careful with the fencing lines.

I also bare in mind if there has been a lot of rain followed by a mild period and will adjust the fence line accordingly.

 

[Micky]

I always watch my lawn, that’s uually tells me reliably enough how much the grass is growing!

 

[L&M]

Yes but your lawn is not being grazed!!! Its amazing how much horses take out of a paddock, and how much longer it takes too grow back in comparison to a lawn......

We have a couple of paddocks resting and the grass is definitely growing, but not at the same rate as it would be in spring. The temps at night and reduced daylight hours won't help, and although lovely and warm by mid morning, it is cooling off again by mid afternoon.

The autumn flush is anytime around now until mid - end oct, but as others have said, temperature dependant.

 

[Woah]

I always watch my lawn, that’s uually tells me reliably enough how much the grass is growing!

Ditto!

 

[pippixox]

Although I keep getting tempted to open up the field- after a very wet weekend and first frost this morning- I know now is a high risk time for autumn sugar flush. So I keep them on a track with just an extra wide section now until November

Definitely still growing.

 

[JanetGeorge]

Grass grows whenever ground temperature is about 6 degrees or higher - that might be for 17 hours, or 7 minutes, lol. Grass growth responds well to being grazed - horse bites off one blade and at least two more are 'encouraged'. Of course, lots of charging around in wet weather buries it and slows it down a LOT. The ideal rotation would be one week grazed, 3 weeks rested - repeat. But sadly mst of us don't have enough acres for that.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I'm keeping mine on a track (ish) still... have moved the fencing a bit to try and stop the mud but have not fully opened the middle of the track yet. Am bringing in during the day as well, to supplement with hay so they don't get too hungry and again to keep the mud at bay a bit. I'm not fully opening up the field until at least November if I can help it... will wait for temperatures to be consistently low. It's definitely still growing at the moment. The season seems to be changing pretty quick up here though.