Hello all,
The mat of grass that you talk about is a common problem in pastures that
have not been grazed out in the autumn/ winter. Here in Ireland we can go in
and graze it early.
A traditional cure was a grass harrow that tore it up. I never tried it but
in talking to a grass scientist he said that it worked in 2 ways; 1 it
tore up the mat, and 2 it stressed the other grasses and stimulated their
spring growth.
I was surprised but I realised that I have often grazed off a field early in
spring which would not be worth grazing for the amount of grass in it, but
simply to get it going. So, a similiar idea.
>From that I would suggest harrowing as much of it as you can bear to see all
torn up. Not too much but, if it works it works and you will have learned
something new.
Thanks Ann for triggering the memory when you said "tear it up".
Conor
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ann Tiplady & John Sease" <ann.tiplady@worldnet.att.net>
To: <graze-l@witt.ac.nz>
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2008 8:23 PM
Subject: RE: Our Fescue
> This newbie suggests running a bunch of cows around on it.
>
> (Or something else that will tear it up).
>
> Ann
> Vermont
>
> Subject: Our Fescue
>
> Well I have the answer to what happened with the taller stuff in our
> pasture we had to stop grazing when snow got too deep. It flattened
> out, made a thick layer of thatch and new grass isn't coming up at
> all well. The fescue is doing well so far, up about 3 inches but the
> rest of our stuff isn't making it above the thatch layer.
>
> Suggestions?
> --
> Eugenie (Oogie) McGuire - oogiem@desertweyr.com
>
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