3 acre paddock, how to re-sow it?
Discussion
As per title really. I've got a 3 acre field which is full of farm grass, presumably for grazing animals. I want to use it as my back garden but the farm grass grows really quickly and it's nowhere near lawn quality.
Do I just need to plough it and re-sow it? Or should I use some kind of weed killer? I'll need a crap-load of it if I do... I was thinking of rye grass or something similar to what they use for playing fields. I can borrow a tractor easily enough and could probably hire any implements that I would need.
If I just turn it over, won't the farm gross just regrow through the new grass?
Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
Do I just need to plough it and re-sow it? Or should I use some kind of weed killer? I'll need a crap-load of it if I do... I was thinking of rye grass or something similar to what they use for playing fields. I can borrow a tractor easily enough and could probably hire any implements that I would need.
If I just turn it over, won't the farm gross just regrow through the new grass?
Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
Plough soonish, cultivate lightly (level as you wish) to encourage weed flush, cultivate before sowing in the autumn. Alternatively, plough towards the end of the winter and plant in spring.
Or maybe spray off the grass with roundup, light discing and sow. This would probably work best in spring, and would give you fewer weeds.
To be honest, just call some sportsfield contractors. Probably quite expensive, but they know what they're doing and will be good at getting what you are trying to achieve. What I suggested would work for establishing pasture or a grass crop, but maybe not a lawn.
Or maybe spray off the grass with roundup, light discing and sow. This would probably work best in spring, and would give you fewer weeds.
To be honest, just call some sportsfield contractors. Probably quite expensive, but they know what they're doing and will be good at getting what you are trying to achieve. What I suggested would work for establishing pasture or a grass crop, but maybe not a lawn.
bitwrx said:
Plough soonish, cultivate lightly (level as you wish) to encourage weed flush, cultivate before sowing in the autumn. Alternatively, plough towards the end of the winter and plant in spring.
Or maybe spray off the grass with roundup, light discing and sow. This would probably work best in spring, and would give you fewer weeds.
To be honest, just call some sportsfield contractors. Probably quite expensive, but they know what they're doing and will be good at getting what you are trying to achieve. What I suggested would work for establishing pasture or a grass crop, but maybe not a lawn.
Or maybe spray off the grass with roundup, light discing and sow. This would probably work best in spring, and would give you fewer weeds.
To be honest, just call some sportsfield contractors. Probably quite expensive, but they know what they're doing and will be good at getting what you are trying to achieve. What I suggested would work for establishing pasture or a grass crop, but maybe not a lawn.
jollygreen said:
As per title really. I've got a 3 acre field which is full of farm grass, presumably for grazing animals. I want to use it as my back garden but the farm grass grows really quickly and it's nowhere near lawn quality.
Do I just need to plough it and re-sow it? Or should I use some kind of weed killer? I'll need a crap-load of it if I do... I was thinking of rye grass or something similar to what they use for playing fields. I can borrow a tractor easily enough and could probably hire any implements that I would need.
If I just turn it over, won't the farm gross just regrow through the new grass?
Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
Dont re - seed with ryegrasses - they are the very vigorous grasses you are already trying to dispense with. The likelihood is that the sward over time will have built up a precentage of couch grass which are also pernicious large flat bladed, undesirable grasses.Do I just need to plough it and re-sow it? Or should I use some kind of weed killer? I'll need a crap-load of it if I do... I was thinking of rye grass or something similar to what they use for playing fields. I can borrow a tractor easily enough and could probably hire any implements that I would need.
If I just turn it over, won't the farm gross just regrow through the new grass?
Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
If you want quality amenity grasses for a family lawn then a burn off first with a translocated glyphosate based herbicicde will be an essential first step. 3 acres is just over a hectare, so actually 4 litres of active ingredient in 150 litres of water will more than do the job. See if you can get a local farmer who has just finished spraying his rape off to do it for you, but dont delay, since the grass still needs to be actively growing for an effective kill.
Your next step would be to leave the ground alone for a good week to allow the glyphosate to work away on the couch. Without seeing the ground in question what you do next depends largely on the state of the site. If its uneven and full of thatch, then a good ploughing / levelling and working down into a seedbed would be the next step, followed by drilling with grass seeds of your choice in early autumn.
Edited by TimJMS on Wednesday 23 July 05:24
The easy solution is to keep cutting it. Unless you want top quality turf.
Many years ago my father spent ages creating a new lawn, from seed, in the garden of a new house. The owner next door did nothing but mark off the area and cut it. Neither were bowling greens but after a couple of years you couldn't tell the difference between the two. My son in law is adopting the mow it only approach and it looks fine.
The small low growing grass will soon take over from the rest. Nettles and other larger plants die off pretty quickly if constantly cut short.
Hugh
Many years ago my father spent ages creating a new lawn, from seed, in the garden of a new house. The owner next door did nothing but mark off the area and cut it. Neither were bowling greens but after a couple of years you couldn't tell the difference between the two. My son in law is adopting the mow it only approach and it looks fine.
The small low growing grass will soon take over from the rest. Nettles and other larger plants die off pretty quickly if constantly cut short.
Hugh
jeevescat said:
Be careful making it look too smart, you need planning permission to turn farmland into a garden 
Ah well, you do in England, see the OP is in Scotland, not sure about there
I think you do in Scotland as well, even if nobody notices/complains now you will have problems selling if you don't have planning permission for it to be a garden.Ah well, you do in England, see the OP is in Scotland, not sure about there
Edited by jeevescat on Wednesday 23 July 08:04
Interesting replies chaps, thank you.
I hadn't considered the implications of planning... I ned to keep it as agricultural land because I want to build a *cough cough* "agricultural shed" portal-frame building which doesn't require full planning permission.
Perhaps just cutting it frequently might be a good move to start with. I borrowed a small tractor and hired a flat mower to cut it last summer but the cut grass took weeks to dissipate.
Does anyone know the best way to gather cut grass? Or is it worth hiring a big mower which has a collecting box?
I have a small ride-on mower but there's no way it will cut the grass as it is just now - 3 or feet 4 feet high! Even if the grass is only 2 or 3 inches it takes 3 or 4 hours to cut the field with that little PoS.
I hadn't considered the implications of planning... I ned to keep it as agricultural land because I want to build a *cough cough* "agricultural shed" portal-frame building which doesn't require full planning permission.
Perhaps just cutting it frequently might be a good move to start with. I borrowed a small tractor and hired a flat mower to cut it last summer but the cut grass took weeks to dissipate.
Does anyone know the best way to gather cut grass? Or is it worth hiring a big mower which has a collecting box?
I have a small ride-on mower but there's no way it will cut the grass as it is just now - 3 or feet 4 feet high! Even if the grass is only 2 or 3 inches it takes 3 or 4 hours to cut the field with that little PoS.
As long as it's mainly grass, get a local farmer to take a silage crop off it, you get the field cut, they get the silage, win, win sitation. Then if you are going to regularly cut it you will need some decent machinery (ie tractor with a drag mower.
I have a 4 acre field adjoining the house, I cut approx just over 1/2 of an acre with my ride-on mower (mulching type) and have cut some paths through the rest. For the past two years it has been great to have a doorstep traditional hay meadow, with flowers (self seeding) and this year loads of butterflies. The paths through it encourage my children and their friends to use it, and it's replete with a couple of grass circles to use a picnic areas. To cut the 1/2 acre and the paths takes abot 40 mins cutting it once a week which is managable.
Once a year, a friend who is a farmer will take a hay crop from it.
davidy
I have a 4 acre field adjoining the house, I cut approx just over 1/2 of an acre with my ride-on mower (mulching type) and have cut some paths through the rest. For the past two years it has been great to have a doorstep traditional hay meadow, with flowers (self seeding) and this year loads of butterflies. The paths through it encourage my children and their friends to use it, and it's replete with a couple of grass circles to use a picnic areas. To cut the 1/2 acre and the paths takes abot 40 mins cutting it once a week which is managable.
Once a year, a friend who is a farmer will take a hay crop from it.
davidy
Edited by DavidY on Wednesday 23 July 09:29
jeevescat said:
Be careful making it look too smart, you need planning permission to turn farmland into a garden
Ah well, you do in England, see the OP is in Scotland, not sure about there
I was thinking this too.Ah well, you do in England, see the OP is in Scotland, not sure about there
Edited by jeevescat on Wednesday 23 July 08:04
I looked at a house to buy some years ago with several acres but a curtilage very close to the house. The lawyers reminded me that even to put a childs swing or a seat beyond the curtilage would require planning.
A garden extension can considered unacceptable development, a material change of use, for which planning permission is required.
A tricky area.....
The advice you have been given is good; I would use glyphosate (e.g. Roundup) to kill the grass off before cultivations are carried out. You would need 3.0 to 4.0 litres/hectare of the standard 360g/l glyphosate to control couch (perennial grass weed), docks, thistles etc. May as well do a proper job.
It's a shame the likes of Leyclene aren't on the market any more - that was brilliant stuff for residual weed control in new grass leys, excellent on annual meadow grass.
It's a shame the likes of Leyclene aren't on the market any more - that was brilliant stuff for residual weed control in new grass leys, excellent on annual meadow grass.
Here's a different view. Instead of having 3 acres of green 'desert' that supports almost nothing except a sense of tidiness, why not turn some, most or all of it into a wildflower meadow? You will not only give refuge to many dwindling species but encourage various wildlife that will help in your garden, like eating slugs and aphids.
The local wildlife trust would probably be more than willing to help you plan its sowing and management, and you can even sell the hay to your local farmer for a few quid a bale (probably about 250 bales in 3 acres?).
If you have children, you can have your own nature reserve. You can cut paths through the meadow, with maybe a play area, or a bench to sit and watch butterflies, birds and insects.
The local wildlife trust would probably be more than willing to help you plan its sowing and management, and you can even sell the hay to your local farmer for a few quid a bale (probably about 250 bales in 3 acres?).
If you have children, you can have your own nature reserve. You can cut paths through the meadow, with maybe a play area, or a bench to sit and watch butterflies, birds and insects.
V8S said:
Here's a different view. Instead of having 3 acres of green 'desert' that supports almost nothing except a sense of tidiness, why not turn some, most or all of it into a wildflower meadow? You will not only give refuge to many dwindling species but encourage various wildlife that will help in your garden, like eating slugs and aphids.
The local wildlife trust would probably be more than willing to help you plan its sowing and management, and you can even sell the hay to your local farmer for a few quid a bale (probably about 250 bales in 3 acres?).
If you have children, you can have your own nature reserve. You can cut paths through the meadow, with maybe a play area, or a bench to sit and watch butterflies, birds and insects.
Nice! i like!The local wildlife trust would probably be more than willing to help you plan its sowing and management, and you can even sell the hay to your local farmer for a few quid a bale (probably about 250 bales in 3 acres?).
If you have children, you can have your own nature reserve. You can cut paths through the meadow, with maybe a play area, or a bench to sit and watch butterflies, birds and insects.
V8S said:
Here's a different view. Instead of having 3 acres of green 'desert' that supports almost nothing except a sense of tidiness, why not turn some, most or all of it into a wildflower meadow? You will not only give refuge to many dwindling species but encourage various wildlife that will help in your garden, like eating slugs and aphids.
The local wildlife trust would probably be more than willing to help you plan its sowing and management, and you can even sell the hay to your local farmer for a few quid a bale (probably about 250 bales in 3 acres?).
If you have children, you can have your own nature reserve. You can cut paths through the meadow, with maybe a play area, or a bench to sit and watch butterflies, birds and insects.
Thats actually the best suggestion I've heard so far. Grass is boring and high maintenance. It would require management though to ensure grasses dont re dominate. Take a very late cut of hay off it each year to keep fertility down, use no nitrogenous fertilisers and that could look spectacular mid summer each year.The local wildlife trust would probably be more than willing to help you plan its sowing and management, and you can even sell the hay to your local farmer for a few quid a bale (probably about 250 bales in 3 acres?).
If you have children, you can have your own nature reserve. You can cut paths through the meadow, with maybe a play area, or a bench to sit and watch butterflies, birds and insects.
TimJMS said:
V8S said:
Here's a different view. Instead of having 3 acres of green 'desert' that supports almost nothing except a sense of tidiness, why not turn some, most or all of it into a wildflower meadow? You will not only give refuge to many dwindling species but encourage various wildlife that will help in your garden, like eating slugs and aphids.
The local wildlife trust would probably be more than willing to help you plan its sowing and management, and you can even sell the hay to your local farmer for a few quid a bale (probably about 250 bales in 3 acres?).
If you have children, you can have your own nature reserve. You can cut paths through the meadow, with maybe a play area, or a bench to sit and watch butterflies, birds and insects.
Thats actually the best suggestion I've heard so far. Grass is boring and high maintenance. It would require management though to ensure grasses dont re dominate. Take a very late cut of hay off it each year to keep fertility down, use no nitrogenous fertilisers and that could look spectacular mid summer each year.The local wildlife trust would probably be more than willing to help you plan its sowing and management, and you can even sell the hay to your local farmer for a few quid a bale (probably about 250 bales in 3 acres?).
If you have children, you can have your own nature reserve. You can cut paths through the meadow, with maybe a play area, or a bench to sit and watch butterflies, birds and insects.
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