Mowing 4 acres

[Peasgood]

A quick way to reduce fertility and a recognised way of establishing a wildflower meadow is to plough it very deep. This puts the fertile topsoil under a layer of less fertile subsoil.

You would have to know the depth of topsoil in order to know how deep to plough it. Wouldn't be possible if subsoil is solid rock.

I considered making a wildflower meadow out of a spare field of mine and having looked into it the above would be my approach. It will take ages just by removing the grass by cutting each year, in fact on my particular field I am far from convinced you would ever reach that point. My field has had no fertiliser for more than a decade, possibly two (time goes by very quick) and having had hay and silage off it the field still grows strong grass. Only flowers are hogweed, plantains and a patch of vetch type stuff.

 

I changed my plans and installed 20 geese, much more fun. When I am rich and famous I plan to have 200 of them.

[countrryboy]

U could just bale and wrap it as poor quailty silage, depnding where u are but some of the more traditional breeds might appreciate it esp if ur near some poorer hill ground.

 

As the the wild flowers u get 'optico' type tine harrows with air seeders attached u could put a wild flower mix in that and just drive over the frass and it will rake of the dead grass as well as leaving ur wild flower seeds.

Know a few hill farmers freshening up there fields like this as it saves a proper reseeding job which u really lose a year of production in a upland environment

[ArthurBottlesworth]

I always thought if you wanted a wildflower meadow

1) wait until wildflowers have set and dropped seed

2) cut and remove grass

3) don't fertalize

4) if you keep removing cut grass ( hay) you'll reduce fertility and encourage wild flowers

 

You could broadcast wild flower seed into the turf by hand, better if you harrow it in ......

[Welshwoodsman]

A quick way to reduce fertility and a recognised way of establishing a wildflower meadow is to plough it very deep. This puts the fertile topsoil under a layer of less fertile subsoil.

You would have to know the depth of topsoil in order to know how deep to plough it. Wouldn't be possible if subsoil is solid rock.

I considered making a wildflower meadow out of a spare field of mine and having looked into it the above would be my approach. It will take ages just by removing the grass by cutting each year, in fact on my particular field I am far from convinced you would ever reach that point. My field has had no fertiliser for more than a decade, possibly two (time goes by very quick) and having had hay and silage off it the field still grows strong grass. Only flowers are hogweed, plantains and a patch of vetch type stuff.

 

I changed my plans and installed 20 geese, much more fun. When I am rich and famous I plan to have 200 of them.

 

 

I was recommended to plough- or weedkiller the whole lot, then rotovate it! If my little tractor was actually up to collecting the grass, then i might get somewhere. Patience was never a strong point for me- and 9 hours chugging, when i should be cuttin trees and makin tracks in the wood is not my idea of good time management. I was thinking, combine harvester- like a finger bar mower on steroids. Should be done in 5 mins.

 

I have come to the conclusion that grazing by geese, sheep, goats or cows, or horses or pigs MUST be a better investment of time- even if the grazing is free to the stock owner.

Down this way, kent wildlife trust is grazing with sheep, ponies or highland cattle on all their flower meadows.

 

 

Sent by smoke signal from my teepee.

[Peasgood]

If/when you do actually achieve this wildflower meadow you wish for, you still have to spend a lot of time managing it one way or another. The ground will produce a crop that needs removing, the Olde Worlde meadows that come to mind are a product of management by man, otherwise they would revert to woodland. The way the nutrients were removed back then was by fattening cattle, the cattle took the nutrients with them when they went off to slaughter. Probably took many many generations to get to that point too.

In my experience you have a few choices. You can invest in some bigger machinery to manage the growth, ie cut and remove the grass.

You can buy a bigger machine just to top and mulch the growth without removing it.

You can plough deep and sow flowers, these will of course revert to stinging nettles, thistles, ragwort and docks in a very short time.

Or you can use stock to manage it, either yours or someone elses. If someone elses you probably have to reckon on it being rent free, no point paying rent if you can't fertilise type of view.

Land management is rarely a sit back and enjoy the view kind of thing, it involves a fair bit of work from somebody.

[Husky1996]

Scag turf tiger I put a bigger engine in it so it's a 35hp boat engine in it and I mow 8 acres a week with it

[Husky1996]

That's the engine

[farmer rod]

I always thought if you wanted a wildflower meadow

1) wait until wildflowers have set and dropped seed

2) cut and remove grass

3) don't fertalize

4) if you keep removing cut grass ( hay) you'll reduce fertility and encourage wild flowers

 

You could broadcast wild flower seed into the turf by hand, better if you harrow it in ......

 

Totally agree with the above, but to get anything to germinate it has to be in contact with the soil. The turf layer is very acid, thats how grass prevents infestation by weeds (or wild flowers), or conversely why poached areas get overcome with thistles.

[hedgesparrow]

if you want to keep it in check speak to your wildlife trust people see who they use to graze there land. beltys white parks native sheep.

stick them on in winter will graze it down leave untill about now and stick them back on. may get paid for allowing them to graze your land. will not need many 3 or 4 cows at most

if you want to cut for hay needs to be clean no rag at all or will not sell

should get a contractor with small kit do it for aprox £1.50 to £2 per bale.

cheaper than getting kit yourself.

good hay will sell for £6 per bale i could get about 200 off 5 acres so nice little earner.

if you have a tractor needs to be 70hp plus go to a farm sale. mower may pick up from £500. hay bob same money. baler NH,wlger,class latter 55 very good baler. looking at £1500 for a good one. but big but with balers is knowing how the knotter works if they play up can be a pain. its a art to doing hay making hence get someone who does it ask in local pub if anyone knows someone who does small contract haymaking. they take the hassel out of doing it and may buy the hay off you so no work just get paid for it

[hedgesparrow]

That's the engine [ATTACH]163490[/ATTACH]

 

hi if thats out of a boat did you have to change top from marine to land or is it air cooled.