Mowing 4 acres

[woodyguy]

Thanks for the really valuable input. I have to reject deep ploughing as it would be just too destructive and leave me with a weed patch instead of a meadow. The neighbouring field is a proper meadow and growth is very moderate. If mine would grow at that rate it would be easy. So I have no idea how quickly the rate will decline with the leaching of nutrients. I guess I'll just use a contractor for a few years til it becomes manageable. May also look out for a larger grass cutter so I can do it a couple of times late in the year and leave the small mulch on. Is the Hayter Condor the best sort of machine for the price?

[skc101fc]

Hiya. I work with a couple of wildflower meadow projects out here in Ireland. As has been said rightly earlier its imperative to remove all cuttings from the field

Leave any and your only promoting grass growth that the flower cannot compete against. If the field hasn't been cut regularly before then get farmer giles in with a good sharp disc mower to get underneath the thatch layer. Even if he only cuts a block out of the centre its saved you a huge ballache. Then for the rest around trees or odd shaped corners use a brush cutter with a heavy sharp blade to cut just above the dirt. Let it all dry for three days to reduce weight and effort, but more importantly to dry out and release seed then rake it all into centre and make hay in the usual fashion. Subsequent years now that root zone is clear of trash, use a pedestrian fingerbar mower like an allen scythe- really sharp and well set up from a vintage sale or find local vintage enthusiast with one. It'll tickle his tits pink to do something usefull with it!!

Rotary garden type mowers are not the answer unless you're going to rake meticulously. Take a hay crop at least once a year then graze once or twice only later. Dont forget to dry and shake out the seed. You really have got to be lowering the nutrient status for the flower to survive. Cut wandering paths through the growing crop to enjoy seeing it change. This stuff will take several years to develop but what a picture in the end.

[doobin]

Ask a local contractor to mow it and big bale it. Then move the big bales to the edge of the field and let them rot down out the way.

 

We have local ag contractors do a village green this way and the cost is not high as we don't care when it's done or need to ted and dry the grass.

 

As for all this talk of ploughing etc- you might scrape turf off to get heather established but for species rich grassland all you need to do is cut and collect and introduce wildflower seed at the right time.

[Graham]

Once you've got it down get some hay rattle seed sown in the autumn to overwinter. As it's semi-parasitic to grass it can reduce vigour by 50% leading to the establishment of a good wildflower meadow.

[hedgesparrow]

i had 5 acre of a hilltop land when i took it on it was full of rag took me a season to get rid of it all i then the following season cut it for hay for my own use. but what i know now and the owner being a pain i gave it up and sold all the gear i got to make hay.

we have the butterfly trust nearby who took on the downlands. they broadcasted wildflower seeds. at start just left it and the grass took over and no flowers. now white parks graze it in sections in the winter so take it down hard plus are leaving there fertilizer to help nourish the ground.

belted galloways are a good native breed with a small footprint ideal for wild flower meadows. or the original native sheep hampshires, one to name.

if you plough starting from scratch. forget it if you have the start of it then spread some native wildflowers seeds in spring after you have had livestock on it over winter. be suprised give it 4 or 5 years and will have one cracking meadow. no fertilizers needed the grass is kept down. if you want to get a contractor to cut it for hay when the weather is right end of may early june for the sugars to be in the grass to make sweet hay. this will sell at a premium. and once word gets out you will be sold out before its made each year.

[pycoed]

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.

 

+1

Everything you need to know summarised in one post!

[ArthurBottlesworth]

If existing is crap, ie no use for hay

What about using old fashioned hay rake ( ie cheap ) to clear cut grass?

Just keep cutting and clearing ....

[doobin]

if you want to get a contractor to cut it for hay when the weather is right end of may early june for the sugars to be in the grass to make sweet hay. this will sell at a premium. and once word gets out you will be sold out before its made each year.

 

Good luck getting a contractor to piss about with 4 acres when the moon is aligned with the stars in the seventh apex and everything is perfect...

 

You'll need even better luck to sell it all at a premium and even better luck to make a profit once you take labour into account.

 

Cut and big bale to waste is the cheapest option.

[woodyguy]

Fair point. I'm not really interested in trying to turn a profit, I just wish to reduce the fertility. So big bale to waste via a contractor is attractive. Like the idea of yellow rattle once in the right direction.

[SteveA]

Have you considered turning it into compost? Cheers