Reseeding

Reseeding

You should aim to reseed 10-15% of your farm every year. Use your knowledge of the farms history and performance to choose which fields to reseed:

• High weed infestation
• Poor response to Nitrogen
• Silage fields producing poor quality silage
• Poor grass growth – does it take longer to come back into the rotation?

Reseed Requirements

Soil Test

If using a min-mill type of cultivation, test the soil before spraying off, results can take up to 2 weeks to come back so forward planning is required. If you are ploughing the field, take a soil sample after the field has been ploughed as this will give you the most accurate results. These results may not come back on time for reseeding so Lime, P & K requirements will need to be rectified at a later date.

Spray Off

Spray the field off with a glyphosate spray and leave for a minimum of 7-10 days. If heavy weed infestation is present, it may be necessary to leave it longer for these to fully die.

Create a fine Seedbed

Regardless of whether ploughing or using min-till cultivation methods it is important to create a fine, firm seedbed. This ensures optimum seed soil contact leading to successful germination.

Lime, P & K Requirement

Lime is essential when sowing, regardless of lime requirements. As the old sward decays, it increases the acidity of the soil which creates undesirable conditions for the seedling to germinate. Applying lime counteracts this issue, all reseeds should receive a minimum of 2 tonne/acre of lime.