Moss in paddocks

Charolois 19

Evening all,

Walking the fields after work and moss is getting a good foothold, so I got thinking, last year I spread g lime, bag and a half an acre, followed by 18 6 12, grass was good all things considered, im not heavily stocked and all fields get a good rest between grazing, I soil tested late last year, pH was a little low but nothing startling, drainage is fine, some of the fields can be drove on year round,

My biggest problem im thinking is the deers over grazing in winter, its near April and its like a putting green,could easily see up to 15/17 early morning or evening, while under anything in the fields I've a nice few inches of grass, the deer problem should be taken into hand with a new guy in shooting this winter also,

So the question is, if I get a chain harrow for the back of the quad ( no tractor ) while my grass is still low will I root some of it out? Was thinking if I pulled it out and over seeded and rolled would I gain a foothold back on it? No experience of harrowing at all, or would I be wasting a few hundred euro ? Was looking at a 5ft hacket trailled.

Thanks for reading and any help is appreciated

Also if it makes any odds this is old ground that was idle for 15 to 20 years before I started on the place 4 year ago, so wouldn't of been minded the best

Dinzee Conlee

Interesting...

I have moss in a few fields... I bought a chain harrow last season, and gave a few runs of it...

I think it improved things, but not as much as I had hoped. Fields are still mossy, not as bad now admittedly.

I had planned to go with granlime this year actually, and maybe go with the chain harrow again...

In hindsight, I would question buying a chain harrow. Would it be possible to get someone in with a tine harrow, and give it a once over rather than getting a new piece of kit?

orm0nd

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

Interesting...

I have moss in a few fields... I bought a chain harrow last season, and gave a few runs of it...

I think it improved things, but not as much as I had hoped. Fields are still mossy, not as bad now admittedly.

I had planned to go with granlime this year actually, and maybe go with the chain harrow again...

In hindsight, I would question buying a chain harrow. Would it be possible to get someone in with a tine harrow, and give it a once over rather than getting a new piece of kit?

Keep at with the chain harrow and you will see the benefits each year. Lime as well if needed.

Charolois 19

Thanks for the replys,

I'm putting it down to the over grazing issue, like been honest I never expected it to be a magic cure, but I thought sure the more ground I rip it out of and damage it, the more grass I'll get coming on, I dont know anyone with a tine harrow but my thinking was, sure even if I got a lad to do it for me, sure I'd have a chain harrow bought for a day or two of him at it, and the quad is there anyways,

I was thinking of later in the year when I'd of opened it up a bit, hitting her with ground lime, price wise and for longer last, I wasn't really impressed with the g lime been honest, sat on the surface for a brave while after I spread it, and it got plenty of rain to wash it in over the weeks it sat there, that was 2 years in a row,

390kid

Charolois 19 wrote: »

Thanks for the replys,

I'm putting it down to the over grazing issue, like been honest I never expected it to be a magic cure, but I thought sure the more ground I rip it out of and damage it, the more grass I'll get coming on, I dont know anyone with a tine harrow but my thinking was, sure even if I got a lad to do it for me, sure I'd have a chain harrow bought for a day or two of him at it, and the quad is there anyways,

I was thinking of later in the year when I'd of opened it up a bit, hitting her with ground lime, price wise and for longer last, I wasn't really impressed with the g lime been honest, sat on the surface for a brave while after I spread it, and it got plenty of rain to wash it in over the weeks it sat there, that was 2 years in a row,

I done a few fields for a lad last year run them with the chain Harrow and spray them to get rid of moss aswell. I’m not sure but I think it was iron oxide he said it was I can’t remember. It did do a right job on the place in all fairness. You’d think once the ph of the soil is alright that it wudn be an issue

Ak84

An aerator

monseiur

390kid wrote: »

I done a few fields for a lad last year run them with the chain Harrow and spray them to get rid of moss aswell. I’m not sure but I think it was iron oxide he said it was I can’t remember. It did do a right job on the place in all fairness. You’d think once the ph of the soil is alright that it wudn be an issue

Sulphate of iron is the product also known as iron sulphate, green in colour, it comes in granular form and can be spread by hand or can be liquidized and sprayed on ....but at €15.00 per 20kg bag it's not cheap

Charolois 19

Rang my teagesc advisor there this eve and went through it with him, he was saying looking at the soil tests, to leave the harrow where it is and go for a ton of lime an acre, on 2 thirds of it, the last third dosent need it at all, and to push on the grass with p and k , to out compete the moss, levels were low,

He did mention that my soil isn't suitable for any more lime, 1.5 t an acre at a push and not to apply urea, slurry or fym would benefit too, so im going to give it a shot down that road, lime to kill the moss and drive on the grass, here's hoping anyway.

Farm365

Charolois 19 wrote: »

Rang my teagesc advisor there this eve and went through it with him, he was saying looking at the soil tests, to leave the harrow where it is and go for a ton of lime an acre, on 2 thirds of it, the last third dosent need it at all, and to push on the grass with p and k , to out compete the moss, levels were low,

He did mention that my soil isn't suitable for any more lime, 1.5 t an acre at a push and not to apply urea, slurry or fym would benefit too, so im going to give it a shot down that road, lime to kill the moss and drive on the grass, here's hoping anyway.

I have the same problem here and I’ve spread two tonne of lime every second year for last 3yrs and it has made no difference. I’m going to reseed some this spring.