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Grass Harrow

  • 18-04-2021 7:11pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 3


    I’m thinking of buying a grass harrow to clean up pasture and overseed, either a 3m or 4.5m palatine or similar and I want to post some questions:
    1. I have an 80hp tractor, is the 4.5 too much?
    2. I want to fit a seeder, is a disc (spinner) good enough or am I better spending the money on a pneumatic seeder?
    3. Has anyone achieved good results using this method of overseeding?
    I know there is a lot there, I would appreciate any response, thanks.


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 21,064 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    Similar boat to you. Have just bought and no yet taken delivery of, a Rakeman 3000 and APV Air Seeder combo. Wouldn't have bought it only I was able to get the Tams grant on it as an organic farmer.
    I can't give you results but Reggie, of this forum, had a Rakeman and praised it.
    This is a 3m machine with 8 pipes from the air seeder.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,637 ✭✭✭endainoz


    I'm doing the exact same as yourself with overseeding a meadow. I recently got a 4m chain harrow and ran it over the meadow twice. I then broadcasted seeds with a wag tail spreader, rolled it and job done.

    It's the first time I've done overseeding after harrowing. I had some success last year with broadcasting clover in the other meadow, hopefully this will work out too.

    Seeds are in the ground a week today, will hopefully be able to report back with some good news! Seeds was a mixture of multi species, herb mix, and a separate mix of wildflowers.

    The farming for nature forum has some decent info on it aswell.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2 Wv611


    Would they b better than a chain harrow for poached ground


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,181 ✭✭✭ruwithme


    Wv611 wrote: »
    Would they b better than a chain harrow for poached ground

    Chain Harrow will do the job ok on poached ground,the above mentioned rakes would yes do a better job in my experience anyway.

    But don't let that stop you pulling out the chain Harrow for the job.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3 Ivor172


    Water John wrote: »
    Similar boat to you. Have just bought and no yet taken delivery of, a Rakeman 3000 and APV Air Seeder combo. Wouldn't have bought it only I was able to get the Tams grant on it as an organic farmer.
    I can't give you results but Reggie, of this forum, had a Rakeman and praised it.
    This is a 3m machine with 8 pipes from the air seeder.

    I see, sounds like a good rig, that’s the set up I’d like to get ideally! I’m glad somebody else is trying it too. Best of luck with the seeding! Thanks!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 3 Ivor172


    endainoz wrote: »
    I'm doing the exact same as yourself with overseeding a meadow. I recently got a 4m chain harrow and ran it over the meadow twice. I then broadcasted seeds with a wag tail spreader, rolled it and job done.

    It's the first time I've done overseeding after harrowing. I had some success last year with broadcasting clover in the other meadow, hopefully this will work out too.

    Seeds are in the ground a week today, will hopefully be able to report back with some good news! Seeds was a mixture of multi species, herb mix, and a separate mix of wildflowers.

    The farming for nature forum has some decent info on it aswell.

    Good to hear you had some success with it, I want to add clover on my own farm too. Great that you could use a wagtail after the chain harrow, it might a more affordable option for me! I hope your recent seeding is successful. Thanks ðŸ‘ðŸ¼


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,412 ✭✭✭Markcheese


    endainoz wrote: »

    Seeds are in the ground a week today, will hopefully be able to report back with some good news! Seeds was a mixture of multi species, herb mix, and a separate mix of wildflowers.

    Do you mind me asking where you got the multi-species mix - and the wild flowers ? And was it a mix you got made up for your type of ground or just what the merchant had ? ( I'd heard some mixes were harder to get now ,after brexit )

    Slava ukraini 🇺🇦



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,637 ✭✭✭endainoz


    Markcheese wrote: »
    Do you mind me asking where you got the multi-species mix - and the wild flowers ? And was it a mix you got made up for your type of ground or just what the merchant had ? ( I'd heard some mixes were harder to get now ,after brexit )

    Yeah I had some multi species mix from fruit hill farm, I had to buy organic so it was more expensive but I'm sure there's plenty of conventional ones that would do the same for less money.

    https://www.fruithillfarm.com/permanent-pasture-44-with-herbs.html

    I think this was the one but they probably have changed the mix from when I got the seed late last year. I tried to find a mix that had seeds that didn't need to be deep in the soil to germinate, with the idea that they'ed be able to be broadcasted and rolled on.

    This is all experimental of course, but hope this bit of rain will drive things on and I'll see something coming.


  • Registered Users Posts: 992 ✭✭✭nhg


    We have a Rakeman 3000 about 9 years now & had a small APV Seeder on it but found wind to be a big issue with the seeder, so sold the APV seeder & replaced with a Guttler seeder instead and also bought a Minos disc Harrow with crumbler & a Flemming land leveller.

    Didn't really have as good a response from over seeding as would have liked so just going to do full reseeds of a section of ground each year. Used to overseed silage ground once crop was cut.

    Reseeded about 20 acres last autum & very pleased with results.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,064 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    nhg wrote: »
    We have a Rakeman 3000 about 9 years now & had a small APV Seeder on it but found wind to be a big issue with the seeder, so sold the APV seeder & replaced with a Guttler seeder instead and also bought a Minos disc Harrow with crumbler & a Flemming land leveller.

    Didn't really have as good a response from over seeding as would have liked so just going to do full reseeds of a section of ground each year. Used to overseed silage ground once crop was cut.

    Reseeded about 20 acres last autum & very pleased with results.

    That's the reason I opted for the air seeder. Over seeding wouldn't, as you say, be the norm a person would use. It's a remedy in specific cases. Other than a complete reseed some form of strip seeding would be an option. Ground out of commission for a shorter time.
    If ploughing, do it shallow as possible. With organic one can't spray off, so leave the grass to break down after ploughing if possible. This certainly applies to cereals so I'm assuming applies to other seeds as well, about 15 days.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,735 ✭✭✭lakill Farm


    Reggies one was a 4.5m Paletine. Serious well made



    Water John wrote: »
    Similar boat to you. Have just bought and no yet taken delivery of, a Rakeman 3000 and APV Air Seeder combo. Wouldn't have bought it only I was able to get the Tams grant on it as an organic farmer.
    I can't give you results but Reggie, of this forum, had a Rakeman and praised it.
    This is a 3m machine with 8 pipes from the air seeder.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2 Wv611


    Is d rakeman 3000 good fr poached grd


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,741 ✭✭✭CloughCasey1


    Wv611 wrote: »
    Is d rakeman 3000 good fr poached grd

    Yes. Cuts up the ruts and levels them out.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,559 ✭✭✭Castlekeeper


    Ivor172 wrote: »
    I’m thinking of buying a grass harrow to clean up pasture and overseed, either a 3m or 4.5m palatine or similar and I want to post some questions:
    1. I have an 80hp tractor, is the 4.5 too much?
    2. I want to fit a seeder, is a disc (spinner) good enough or am I better spending the money on a pneumatic seeder?
    3. Has anyone achieved good results using this method of overseeding?
    I know there is a lot there, I would appreciate any response, thanks.

    I'd use a contractor or two to do a few bits first and see what kind of results are achievable before I'd go spending big. Contractors in our area with guttler drills, erth seeders etc and I've seen a good few mixed results with overseeding.
    As mentioned, a chain harro, manure spreader and roller might do just as good a job on a small bit of poached ground.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    What about this approach:

    1. Tyne harrow a field with your palatine or rakeman

    2. Spread grass seed on tyne harrowed field on a calm day with no wind

    3. Put out watery slurry on the ground after


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,184 ✭✭✭Dozer1


    would this machine cover both for levelling and scratching

    https://www.donedeal.ie/harrows-for-sale/new-4m-hybrid-grass-harrows/27322242

    was about to buy a harrow but local contractor said he'd give it a run of the guttler instead....still waiting


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,637 ✭✭✭endainoz


    Dozer1 wrote: »
    would this machine cover both for levelling and scratching

    https://www.donedeal.ie/harrows-for-sale/new-4m-hybrid-grass-harrows/27322242

    was about to buy a harrow but local contractor said he'd give it a run of the guttler instead....still waiting

    Looks a serious yoke alright.


  • Registered Users Posts: 262 ✭✭Longford Leader


    I think there was an advert in the journal last week for a rakeman+APV seeder spread over 36 months.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,181 ✭✭✭ruwithme


    Dozer1 wrote: »
    would this machine cover both for levelling and scratching

    https://www.donedeal.ie/harrows-for-sale/new-4m-hybrid-grass-harrows/27322242

    was about to buy a harrow but local contractor said he'd give it a run of the guttler instead....still waiting

    I suppose that's why lads like to have their own,even if it's hard to justify the price sometimes. Do it when suits you & not them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,980 ✭✭✭✭wrangler


    Dozer1 wrote: »
    would this machine cover both for levelling and scratching

    https://www.donedeal.ie/harrows-for-sale/new-4m-hybrid-grass-harrows/27322242

    was about to buy a harrow but local contractor said he'd give it a run of the guttler instead....still waiting

    We've a tine one here and it's not near severe enough, I couldn't see it leveling much


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  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    wrangler wrote: »
    We've a tine one here and it's not near severe enough, I couldn't see it leveling much

    Isnt the goal of a tyne harrow to root out embedded dung, dead grass and weeds and promote growth


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,637 ✭✭✭endainoz


    Barktastic wrote: »
    Isnt the goal of a tyne harrow to root out embedded dung, dead grass and weeds and promote growth

    Yeah, a chain harrow suit better for light leveling, most let you run the chain part upside down so it can flatten ground.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Looking to over sow some grass seed on a silage field to freshen it up a bit.

    What application rate per acre should I go for?

    The field isnt bad just looking to freshen it up.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,343 ✭✭✭✭Reggie.


    Barktastic wrote: »
    Looking to over sow some grass seed on a silage field to freshen it up a bit.

    What application rate per acre should I go for?

    The field isnt bad just looking to freshen it up.

    Roughly 8kg to the acre


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,637 ✭✭✭endainoz


    Barktastic wrote: »
    Looking to over sow some grass seed on a silage field to freshen it up a bit.

    What application rate per acre should I go for?

    The field isnt bad just looking to freshen it up.

    Sorry I'm not sure to be honest, I was very random with my seed application, had 5kg of wildflowers and about 30kg of a meadow and herb mix. Meadow size is 3 Ha, so I probably spread very little seed on it.

    Teagasc have a great piece about overseeding clover alright but there isn't too much info on overseeding other species from what I've seen. Probably due to the hit and miss success of it. My seeds are on the ground 10 days and I topped the older grasses and rushes today. All going well the meadow won't be touched again untill the end of July.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,064 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    A lot of seeds would be similar size to clover. Not burying them too deep and a firm bed with soil contact would be the main issues.
    As for freshening up a meadow, I'd be inclined to do it after mowing, give the seeds a better chance and warmer weather.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,637 ✭✭✭endainoz


    Water John wrote: »
    A lot of seeds would be similar size to clover. Not burying them too deep and a firm bed with soil contact would be the main issues.
    As for freshening up a meadow, I'd be inclined to do it after mowing, give the seeds a better chance and warmer weather.

    I'd be inclined to agree re the meadow but the place I've seeded is always slow to get going due to lack of minerals most likely. I'm hoping the herbs in particular will unlock some of the minerals and the clover will drive it on. That's the plan anyway, I'm no expert but I'm optimistic.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,184 ✭✭✭Dozer1


    Well Guttler is working away here today,
    impressions,
    1) ground is rock hard but levelled a bit
    2) 2 runs seems to be doing a good job
    3) need rain


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,412 ✭✭✭Markcheese


    Dozer1 wrote: »
    Well Guttler is working away here today,
    impressions,
    1) ground is rock hard but levelled a bit
    2) 2 runs seems to be doing a good job
    3) need rain

    Do you normally roll after the guttler ??
    Don't worry the rain will come ...

    Slava ukraini 🇺🇦



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  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Hello,

    Want to test out over seeding 5 acres.

    This ground is used for grazing mainly but also a single cut of silage or hay (weather permitting).

    What's the best seed to go for here and where to buy?


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