When should I start resting my winter paddock so it can grow...

GSLS

GSLS

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When should I start resting my winter paddock so it can grow lots of grass in time for winter... When does the grass stop growing? I'm not short of grass atm but I want to rest one paddock to save for winter as it's currently being grazed on at the moment. But isn't bald or anything. Thanks
 
I'd say now tbh. Mine had hay taken off it a couple of weeks ago and has been empty since. I won't be using it till Winter kicks in.
 
end of April for a good covering for winter or after haymaking which is finished round here now grass stops growing when the night temperature drops below 6 degrees. You get an autumn flush about september which catches people with laminitics out but generally the quality of grass growing now is poorer as it doesn't get to seed height
 
My badly damaged field (was mud soup) has been resting since November ish? Horses have come and grazed 3 times to stop getting too thick but then we are on clay with 4 acres only and two horses so fields need major resting after winter. ;)
 
Mine was rested from April, just had hay taken from it and will rest until nov/dec. I don't think the grass stops growing until the temp is less than 6-7 degrees so I am hoping it will grow a bit more over Autumn.
 
Mine has been rested since beginning of April too :) they will go on it as soon as the temperature drops below 6 degrees usually in November sometime. I have 4 acres for 4 of them so I need it, its like lying hay atm, stops the field getting trashed.
 
Tnavas said:
Now, with rain and the warmth of autumn you should get reasonable growth, lime and fertiliser will improve growth.
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This, but I have noticed the grass growth has slowed down a lot over the last couple of weeks. You should get another flush in the autumn though.
 
Mines has been rested since April as well, normally I would only have two in a nine acre field over winter and the other two I have on livery but this will be the first winter I will have five in the winter field so have left it longer than normal! It was cut for haylage mid July and the horses will go on end of oct/start of November :)
 
Our Winter field has been resting since the beginning of April and it's been topped twice during that time to keep the weeds down.

Got a good thick sward in there now so if we have a harsh Winter we should have enough grass to see us through. :)
 
Rested mine since April too and topped once. There might be an Autumn flush, you just never know what weather we'll have. There may not be a lot of good stuff there but it's the fibre they need during the winter months with their hard feed
 
I'd be getting them off there now and if possible having a little FYM on it if you have any available to throw on it! Get it topped too and... Fingers crossed with the autumn flush that will happen and a little more sunshines and showers,...you SHOULD have some decent grass growth before you use it in Winter.
 
Up until this year I used to rest my winter paddock from late July/early Aug, and had reasonable grass growth, but very weather dependant. It would last them until about xmas, then had to supplement with hay. This was 3 1/2 acres for 3 small horses, 1 out 24/7 and 2 stabled at night.

This year I have changed things round having less horses in, and have rested the same field since April. It is now standing hay and hope it will support them for most of the winter, although have plenty of hay on standby if it doesn't last as long as I anticipate.

As an aside, for those who graze standing hay in the winter, do you poo pick? I am not looking forward to poo hunting in 3 ft high grass, and am wondering if I can avoid it, then just harrow in the spring when it will be rested again.
 
L&M - that's what I do.

My two are on clay unfortunately but in the summer they are on restricted grazing so I poo pick in the summer. I split the paddock in half and then come winter I open the lot up as other wise it becomes a poached mess. I don't poo pick in the winter, I just leave it as they have enough for the winter and I'll out hay in different places to help where I can should they need it.

As soon as it becomes firm(ish) I chain harrow and roll it. Then start the cycle all over again.
 
Yep - you're a bit late. Topped mine for second time today and may top again next month depending on growth. Hopefully can keep it until 1st December.
 
L&M said:
As an aside, for those who graze standing hay in the winter, do you poo pick? I am not looking forward to poo hunting in 3 ft high grass, and am wondering if I can avoid it, then just harrow in the spring when it will be rested again.
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Yes, I do.
I try to hive off a patch to start with, with electric tape to get it mown down hard - poo-picking is a pain the 1st few days.
After that, I then generously move the tape every 2 days, so there is always trampled area for them & its easier to poo pick.
Only one blot.... TF wont stay behind any temp electric fence, so there is the 'find the mini-poo' game for quite a long time..... sigh...
 
Ours were cut for hay and, although we have moved two horses on to a paddock which was part of the hay field, the rest will be rested for another three months. The fields were only seeded in 2012 so the grass is still thickening up but is very good quality and we got a lot of hay off.
The lie of the land means that the bottom half can get soggy so the top half was cut for hay while we graze the bottom half in the dryer weather (absolutely tipping down as I write but at least it's not day after day as it can be in the winter). The horses will stay on the top half all winter but we will probably start to supplement with hay after Christmas, depending on the weather.
We are lucky enough to have fairly large paddocks so the grazing generally lasts well. We are planning to have three grazed paddocks and three spare so that we can rotate as and when necessary.

ETA - we poo pick all winter too as the grass is short enough. Draw the line at picking up the sheep poo though!
 
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