Grass N

just do it

I've seen it mentioned on here plenty times that you can test grass to check if chemical N had been used up ahead of mowing. How quick is the turn around on the test? Surely it needs to be quick to be of any value.

Mad4simmental

Also while your talking about N, the lads blanket spreading. Is it fine to graze grass away that would be high in N??

I don't know if it was habbet or what but boss man always leaves animals off the grass that got fert for 2/3 weeks.

C4d78

just do it wrote: »

I've seen it mentioned on here plenty times that you can test grass to check if chemical N had been used up ahead of mowing. How quick is the turn around on the test? Surely it needs to be quick to be of any value.

24 hrs

moy83

Mad4simmental wrote: »

Also while your talking about N, the lads blanket spreading. Is it fine to graze grass away that would be high in N??

I don't know if it was habbet or what but boss man always leaves animals off the grass that got fert for 2/3 weeks.

I dont know if your bossman is like mine but he is slack on grass management . Any tips on brainwashing ould fellas ? I think it the only thing that will make him keep things a bit tighter grass wise

munkus

Mad4simmental wrote: »

Also while your talking about N, the lads blanket spreading. Is it fine to graze grass away that would be high in N??

I don't know if it was habbet or what but boss man always leaves animals off the grass that got fert for 2/3 weeks.

when my old boy took over the place in early 70s, he lost 2 bullocks because of this. Vet saved 2 more.

freedominacup

C4d78 wrote: »

24 hrs

More like 24 minutes and that's stretching it.

just do it

Cost?

Greengrass1

Simple rule. 2 units a day. Spread 30 units its gone in 2 wks basicly. ATM I'm grazing a paddock I spread last Tuesday. Not ideal bit not much choice

C4d78

freedominacup wrote: »

More like 24 minutes and that's stretching it.

24hrs turn around time with lab in Dairygold from when u send in sample. Where can you get it done that fast freedom with sugar and nitrogen figures?

freedominacup

C4d78 wrote: »

24hrs turn around time with lab in Dairygold from when u send in sample. Where can you get it done that fast freedom with sugar and nitrogen figures?

Not sugars just N. Any large glanbia branch. Just takes a couple of minutes. If the sun is out the sugars should be there.

just do it

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Simple rule. 2 units a day.

With this weather it could be gone a lot quicker and for whatever reason you mightn't want to wait that long

paddysdream

just do it wrote: »

I've seen it mentioned on here plenty times that you can test grass to check if chemical N had been used up ahead of mowing. How quick is the turn around on the test? Surely it needs to be quick to be of any value.

About as long as it takes to wring the juice from a piece of grass,drop in onto the plate on the scope and look through it.Say 5 minutes in total.
Sorry thats for sugar.To test for N is it not a litmus stick like those for ph testing.So about the same ie 5 mins.You drop juice on strip,wait a minute and compare the colour to the colour chart on the box.Think the darker it turns then the more N is present.

Told to put the grass in the freezer for a few hours and take out an hour or 2 before test.Leaves it easier to wring the juice from it.

Wilting will reduce N in grass so if borderline then its worth doing for silage.Bad preservation will leave silage very poor and unpalatable at best and useless at worst.
Sugars are (I think)highest in mid afternoon sunshine so thats the time to mow if possible

just do it

paddysdream wrote: »

About as long as it takes to wring the juice from a piece of grass,drop in onto the plate on the scope and look through it.Say 5 minutes in total.
Sorry thats for sugar.To test for N is it not a litmus stick like those for ph testing.So about the same ie 5 mins.

Told to put the grass in the freezer for a few hours and take out an hour or 2 before test.Leaves it easier to wring the juice from it.

Jeez a litmus stick, now where's that chemistry set Santa brought a few decades ago?!

paddysdream

just do it wrote: »

Jeez a litmus stick, now where's that chemistry set Santa brought a few decades ago?!

Think its a different stick but not sure.Got a few here in a box and used them a few times.Must look for the box but from memory they have something about N on the outside.Was told they are about 40 euro per box.Unsure of how many originally but maybe 50 or so.

Handy but prefer the units per day count(not forgetting the slurry) but nice to double check as usually close fields very late(up to mid May)and like to cut as soon as possible when weather allows.

Sugar test is telescope(?) tube with plate on end for juice.Drop some on,look through it and see the line where colour changes on the scale.Then divide by 2 ie if line is at 7 then sugar is 3.5.Well thats how I seen it done anyways.

Omniscient

paddysdream wrote: »

Then divide by 2 ie if line is at 7 then sugar is 3.5.Well thats how I seen it done anyways.

Divide by 2 and minus one so 2.5% in your case.

If the sugars are high (>3%) then this can offset a high nitrate nitrogen reading (>500ppm). Teagasc do it free of charge round here.

just do it

Going to seed but N 2 day rule ends on July 19th. 1st cut was taken on May 30th.

freedominacup

just do it wrote: »

Going to seed but N 2 day rule ends on July 19th. 1st cut was taken on May 30th.

Up to yesterday I'd have said cut away. If the rain has started with you then it'll need a couple of good days to dry standing and get sugars right. If we go back to the weather we've been having then cut away once you think you'll get dm over 30.

just do it

I wasn't brave enough to go 3 weeks early but if next week comes good I'll chance it.

Reseeded ground. This farm has never seen such quality grass grow so quickly in my lifetime

towzer2010

just do it wrote: »

I wasn't brave enough to go 3 weeks early but if next week comes good I'll chance it.

Reseeded ground. This farm has never seen such quality grass grow so quickly in my lifetime

Great stuff JDI.

Didn't you try a few different methods of reseeding? Any noticeable difference in the outcome?

just do it

towzer2010 wrote: »

Great stuff JDI.

Didn't you try a few different methods of reseeding? Any noticeable difference in the outcome?

Chain harrow only was best. Pre and post spraying and subsequent management are more important than cultivation method. Won't autumn reseed again as ground got too soft to get initial grazings in to encourage tillering. Also slurry application immediately after spraying seed with wagtail negates the need for rolling.

But I'm on the west coast. Chain harrow only mightn't work for land that suffers from drought.

I did another 10ac 4 weeks ago which I'll report on when I get this issue of posting photos sorted.

ellewood

What method did u use for last 10 acres

frazzledhome

just do it wrote: »

Going to seed but N 2 day rule ends on July 19th. 1st cut was taken on May 30th.

How much N did it get? Grass can get stressed and shoot out with too much time and not enough N

just do it

frazzledhome wrote: »

How much N did it get? Grass can get stressed and shoot out with too much time and not enough N

It got enough N in cut sward to get it to July 19th

just do it

Had it tested just now. Advise was 24hr good wilt would do it. Now to check the weather....

just do it

ellewood wrote: »

What method did u use for last 10 acres

Posted in the reseed 2014 thread with pics