Herbal Lay

Reggie.

Well folks. Thinking of stitching in abit of herbal lay into a field that was reseeded 2 years ago so the grass is good just want to add abit of extra. Might add more white clover for the extra N and thinking of plantain for the worm burden. Anyone any opinions or anything else to add. 

Birdnuts

For drought resistance and general hardiness I would throw in the likes of Cocksfoot, Timothy and Sainfoin, the latter being a great soil conditioner too

Danzy

Sainfoin needs good dry ground. Marking destroys it.

Cocksfoot and Timothy definitely for drought and also in wetter ground, help drain it, deep roots and wide roots help prevent poaching

Reggie.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118477306#Comment_118477306

This field is abit of both.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118477388#Comment_118477388

The fine machinery will have to be parked up and 2 buckets filled with seed , one marked wet, the other dry.

It's like hurling the flick of the wrist.

Danzy

Did you ever look at Cotswold seeds

https://www.cotswoldseeds.com/products/1566/herbal-over-seeding-mixture-deep-rooting-herbal-ley

SPECIAL HERBAL LEY for Overseeding Mixture with Martin ...

YouTube · CotswoldSeeds

16 Feb 2020

https://youtu.be/ZAI2ty0MRYs

https://youtu.be/-f2eXxpqKSY

Burnet and trefoil are meant to be good at lasting as well.

Markcheese

Can you get seed from the uk now ? Couldn't last spring -

If you can western seeds have a good rep , particularly at doing mixes that suit wetter cooler Irish conditions ..

http://www.westernseeds.com/grass-seed-mixtures.html

tractorporn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118477549#Comment_118477549

Western seeds still not supplying into Ireland. DLF have a good 6 variety mix that works well.

Danzy

I don't know.

I bought 5kg of borage seed last may though, from Boston seeds.

endainoz

I'm going to get the 6 species mix from DLF to give it a go. Probably will get it stitched in for better germination after a good chain harrow and put stock on it soon after to work the seed in.

Markcheese

What are the species ? Any info on the expected persistence ?

Expensive ?

( The rest of the 20 questions will come later !!😁😁

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118509813#Comment_118509813

It'll be a six species MSS rather then a herbal ley I think. The herbs are difficult to source organically. DLF haven't gotten back to me on a price yet. Will share more info when I get it.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118477503#Comment_118477503

They don't deliver to Ireland any more

https://www.cotswoldseeds.com/ordering-and-delivery.asp

yosemitesam1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058227936/herbal-lay

Whats it for? Grazing and or cutting?

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517690#Comment_118517690

Address pal would solve that.

Reggie.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518088#Comment_118518088

Grazing

matt.v

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118510211#Comment_118510211

And what species are you looking at?

yosemitesam1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118518998#Comment_118518998

Plantain and chicory, alsike clover would be a good addition for any wet spots.

Wouldn't bother with anything fancy.

Cocksfoot, timothy, festulolium might be worth adding if it was only straight ryegrass in it

Reggie.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520196#Comment_118520196

Your along the same lines as myself in thought about it. Thinking of plantain, chicory, white clover and sanfoin due to being alot of limestone around us. Thinking of about 2kg an acre for each of a sowing rate to allow for at least 50% non germination

yosemitesam1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118520315#Comment_118520315

I'd say that sainfoin probably wouldn't be too good. Unless you give it a longer rotation and are careful it wont last too long.

Its seed size is about 10 times that of clovers so much less plants also.

Red and alsike clover would be better imo

Odelay

MASSIVE GRASS YIELD FROM HERBAL LEYS AND BRAND NEW COWS! All of this with NO fertiliser! - YouTube

Seems like a savage crop. Anyone here have experience of it?

Castlekeeper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120695849#Comment_120695849

Yep super stuff.

davidk1394

Set 6ac of it here, I'm waiting for it to grow

Siamsa Sessions

Pardon my ignorance here: would a herbal ley be a cousin of multi-species swards?

Castlekeeper

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120697297#Comment_120697297

To quote Rich Hall,

" You're talking about the difference between fur and hair here".

Markcheese

I think a lot of it is going to be putting in seeds that suit your conditions , stuff thst does well in dry ground , warm climates obviously isnt going to thrive in wet /cold conditions and vice versa .. if you think of a 10 year cycle , we get 2 or 3 good years, 2 or 3 bad years and 4 to 6 average years , ( and the exceptionals will be in there too, )

And obviously anything thats not persistant unless it seeds isnt going to survive long in the field unless the plant gets to flower and seed , so if its being grazed every 3 or 4 weeks thats not going to happen ,

But if you've a mix that suits you could broadcast a small amount of seed into the lay every couple of years ..

charolais0153

5BD15A37-AF89-4338-B3DC-42DB6319EC86.png

807909EF-FF5A-4B58-ADCC-EFDE4F2E102B.png

First year.

2nd year.

nothing but grass clover and thistles in it now 🙄

the chicory never took off and plantain never lasted Lambs done damn all better on it than just normal grass and clover

doesn’t suit the sheep grazing habits.

seems to be working well in Lyon’s estate with dairy beef cattle tho

yosemitesam1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120706237#Comment_120706237

Grazed out by sheep. Most herbs need a long growing interval and won't tolerate tight grazing. Late cut hay meadows or long interval , high residual grazing is what they can tolerate

charolais0153

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120706237#Comment_120706237

Grazed too tight. Too much manure cos too much stock. Outcompeted by grass too.

plenty clover still

Markcheese

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120706574#Comment_120706574

if its being grazed out tight every 3 or 4 weeks for the whole season there'll be no resilliance in the plants ,

Leaving it in mid summer to take a cut of silage may help , but to be honest talk to whoever you're buying the mix off of , tell them what the field is like , and how youre using it, and go from there .. theres no point in putting in stuff thats good for southern england or germany ..

Western seeds in wales were really good for that , but i dont know about getting stuff from the uk now , because of brexit ..

Odelay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120695849#Comment_120695849

BIG NEWS ON FARM! New staff causing chaos. - YouTube

And three weeks later. Impressive stuff.

Jimbo789

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120852387#Comment_120852387

5 weeks he said.

It’s recommended to leave it a little longer than the 3 weeks for PRG but I wouldn’t leave it 5 weeks because the Chicory can bolt.