re-seeding field - advice please!

NeverSayNever

NeverSayNever

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 July 2008
Messages
4,437
Location
uk
Visit site
I am about (as in in next 5 mins!) to have a local contractor coming in to reseed my field. They said they have a 'speshul' gadget that drills into what is already there and I wont need to keep my ponies off it after at all... however everyone i have spoken to has said reeeeeallllly ???. Has anyone done this and put horses on it straight away?
 
Not heard of this but I'd have thought that you'd need to keep the horses off to allow the new seed to germinate and get established before being trampled on/ eaten/ wee'd on etc.
Drilling it in might stop the birds eating it I guess - we roll ours in and this seems to work really well - just pushing it in by a tiny amount, we do keep horses off tho.

If you don't mind loosing a bit of the seed - it certainly won't do any harm to the horses to stay on the field.
 
It's probably a direct drill which basically cuts a slice into the ground and puts the seed in the slice. So, yes it is possible to keep grazing. Very useful piece of gear when you have a existing ley that needs topping up.
 
NeverSayNever said:
I am about (as in in next 5 mins!) to have a local contractor coming in to reseed my field. They said they have a 'speshul' gadget that drills into what is already there and I wont need to keep my ponies off it after at all... however everyone i have spoken to has said reeeeeallllly ???. Has anyone done this and put horses on it straight away?
Click to expand...

Yes - It's called direct drilling - the seed is forced into the ground so develops a good root system before appearing above ground unlike scattered seed that lies on the surface.

I take it you are using this on a field that already has grass in it but is quite light in cover. If so then yes you can get on and graze it as the existing plants protect the new ones.

Ideally it's best to sow grass seed in autumn when the weeds have gone but this isn't always possible.

I use to get the school paddocks done every few years and we had no problems grazing it.
 
perfect thanks everyone.

yes it is a field that got poached in winter, then rolling was attempted in April but 2 tractors got stuck and made a right mess:rolleyes: Theyve been back since and levelled out the messy bits but its very patchy and bare now, hence the reseeding.
 
You are far better off taking the horses off the land and allowing the new grass to become established. In fact I rest the field for a good 2 years to allow the new grass to germinate, develop root structure and grow. Once it has grown I then cut/top it regularly to get it well established. You can of course continue grazing on re-seeded fields but the grass will not get the opportunity of establishing itself.
 
OWLIE185 said:
You are far better off taking the horses off the land and allowing the new grass to become established. In fact I rest the field for a good 2 years to allow the new grass to germinate, develop root structure and grow. Once it has grown I then cut/top it regularly to get it well established. You can of course continue grazing on re-seeded fields but the grass will not get the opportunity of establishing itself.
Click to expand...

Even direct drilling I would agree with this. Grass seed is too expensive to waste, and I did what you have had suggested years ago - direct drill and graze soon after. There was very little sign of the newer more vigourous grass a year later, far better let it establish roots if you can, then it will last much longer.
I would leave it until autumn and even over winter if it isn't too free draining, otherwise it will all get poached out again anyway.
 
i dont have any option, this is my only field. Very short term my ponies can be kept in a hardstand turnout pen i have but otherwise, thats all Ive got.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top