soil analysis results - WWYD

our paddock (nearly 5 acreds) is likely somewhat similar to CPtrayes I suppose, and we do seem to get plenty of grass in the mix. It has been horse grazed and provided all of our winter hay for the last 9 years and never been fertilised. Prior to that it was rented out to local farmers and mostly had a few cattle on (as the fencing was not good enough for sheep in the end) and was never fertilised then. At a guess it has probably done 20 years, I guess we must just be lucky with the ground.
 
Goldenstar said:
I think you mean sub soiling , this needs to approached with caution on clay as the field drains are often quite close to the surface and can be badly damaged leaving you with a bigger problem .
Click to expand...

Ah, thankyou. It is for root encouragement, is it GS? Does it work???


While I've got you, what's happening when an entire field goes completely brown and dies and then springs up green again. As far as I can see there is no ploughing done, but it does look like the entire field has been glyphosphated, only I thought that would prevent regrowth for longer??.

I see reseeding, where the field is ploughed, too. I get that, because new growth is so much stronger in the first 3-ish years?
 
Last edited:
The grass does grow upwards, we get a good hay crop from the hay fields each year (290 bales from 2.5 acres) it just looks very patchy, you can see individual plants with mud round them rather than a thick covering of grass, overseeding isn't working hence looking at other options.

I'm sure your right sheep would only leave what they have eaten, but that would be more than is left from the horses as I poo pick so take a lot out when they are on the fields. I'm just pondering whether some muck spreading/ 0;46;0 then a period of leaving the sheep poo on and letting them keep the length short would give the root system a helping hand, which would help in the long run.

This farming stuff is certainly an art not a science - you can see why knowledge needs to be handed down over generations as to what works best for what fields/ needs
 
The sheep won't eat grass that is long, what they do is nibble on new shoots and in wet weather, paddle the seed heads into the ground, which thickens the sward. Their tiny, sharp feet aerate the soil and help the root structure improve. Sheep thrive on meadow pasture, similar to horses, although obviously can cope better with lush grass.
 
Sub soiling or mole draining will help getting air down deeper into the ground and this will encourage a deeper root system.
Simply roots need oxygen to survive, if they flood they die.

Wild flowers can often have a deeper root system and is how and why they survive.
manuring will help perching as it will encourage soil structure to reform.
Soil structure is distroyed by waterlogging.
This is a science of posititive and negative ions it is these ions that hold on to fertiliser elements until taken up by the plants.

Before you fertilise with phosphates make sure that you have a 150-200mm of good well drained soil or all your fertiliser will be wasted and will wash away.

Polos Mum one question is what is your soil structure is it sandy, clay, stony chalky

PH can play a part of locking up elements
 
Rob - our soil is very heavy clay (we have a brick pit pond in one field) and the 'soil' there is yellow and my son could happily use it to make pots with!
It has been mole drained but does waterlog at times (especially this year!) - we have found small (6 inch deep) surface drains into the main drains around the outside have worked best

Ph is 7 per the analysis
 
Heavy clay is naturally rich in elemant and i feel the need to fertilise will give you a lush hay meadow.
I have also the heavies clay soil you can imaging and heavy manure every 3-4 years in a rotation.
If you reseed say year 2 i think you could be happier with the results you get.
I do not top my fields and allow the grass to seed and fall back to the soil, still collect the hay but later in the season.
Or why buy seed when you can produce your own.
For clay soils only rye, timothy,bents mixes specific to these heavy soils will work.
Few wild flower mixes except buttercups survive on these clay soils.

Good luck.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top