Rejuvenation - Watson Seeds

RejuvenationGame Cover&Conservation MixturesPutting new life into tired and damaged swards

INTRODUCTIONA full reseed is not always possible dueto factors such as stocking pressuresor thin top soil not permitting deepcultivation. For thin or badly poachedpastures, pasture rejuvenation shouldbe considered a viable alternative to acomplete reseed.Weeds are low yielding and unpalatable,with a very low response to nitrogen.You cannot afford to tolerate morethan 30% weed grasses in your swards.It is the weeds that invade the pasturesand gradually replace the existing sowngrass ley that cause the most damage toproductivity and this can lead to a hugereduction in yield. Pasture rejuvenationshould not be considered for oldpastures infected with creeping bentand other grass weeds as any new grasswould struggle to compete.Successful pasture rejuvenation occurswhen competition from the existingsward is minimal, these conditions occurduring early spring before the grass isgrowing too quickly or after secondcut silage/early autumn when the soiltemperature is still high.An adequate degree of moisture in theseed bed is essential for the new sownseed to germinate and establish.First you need to assess the conditionof the sward before deciding how toimprove it. Your local Watson Seedsseed specialist will be happy to visit youand advise a course of action.Aitchison drill in action at Duirinish, Lochalsh2

PREPARATIONFor successful pasture rejuvenation the existing grass sward should be removed orretarded, either by grazing hard after silage cut or by spraying with a suitable herbicide.Moisture is most important for rapid establishment of newly sown grass seed.With increasing numbers of farmers choosing to rejuvenate a grass sward as opposedto a full reseed the techniques and equipment available to make this a success hasgreatly advanced in the last few years. The application of slug pellets when drilling inrows can be very beneficial.There is a range of equipment available for pasture renovation, for example:Einboch/Optico grass harrows: Work ok if adequate moisture in the soil orimmediately after taking a crop of hay or silage.Moore Uni-Drill/Guttler: Drills the seed into the soil and achieves good seed to soilcontact. Closer row spacing than the Aitchison or Duncan drills.Aitchison/Duncan drill: Ideal for use when there is a risk of dry, cold conditions andcompetition from existing sward.Agriseeder from Erth Engineering: Modified version of a Duncan drill. Can copewell with uneven ground.Vredo: An effective slit seeder used by some contractors.Vaderstad: A very versatile disc type multi-purpose drillWe are currently conducting a trial demonstrating the performance of a range of the abovedrills at our grass trial site in the Borders. We are monitoring in particular the clover populationfrom a range of establishment techniques. Billy Rae’s Moore Unidrill is pictured below, at thetrial site, drilling CAST coated clover seed into a young sward of Mingary in May 2012.3

SEED MIXTURESVarieties that establish rapidly and haveearly vigour are vital to successful pasturerejuvenation. Seed rate is dependenton the condition of the existing sward.We would recommend a seed rate of8-12kgs/acre.Our rejuvenation mixture includes amix of intermediate and late headingtetraploid ryegrass varieties, ensuringgood summer production. Tetraploidshave a larger endosperm and are morevigorous than diploids at establishing. Topyielding varieties with excellent densityand persistency. The hybrid contentincluded in rejuvenation encouragesquick establishment.Rejuvenation mixtures are availablewith or without CAST clover blend.Variety Type %Hymer (T) Hybrid Ryegrass 10.0Eurostar (T)Calibra (T)AberBite (T)Twymax (T)CastleRejuvenationIntermediate PerennialRyegrassLate PerennialRyegrass40.050.0An economy version of the above isavailable as Saltire 12.Short term mixtures based on hybrid/italian ryegrass can be formulated foryour specific needs.Demonstration of the Duncan Drill with the SAC at Willowford Farm, Gisland, Nr Brampton,Cumbria. By kind permission of Liam & Lauren McNulty.4

KEY POINTS TO CONSIDERSubject to adequate temperature, moisture is the single most importantelement required for germination.Check soil fertility status. pH should be 6-6.5, this will certainly support betterclover growth.Discuss with your seed specialist an appropriate mixture for sowing.Depending on strategy adopted, mow, graze or spray existing sward tominimise trash in the seedbed and competition for new seed.Pay close attention to pest control - slugs can often attack new grassesso slug pellets may need to be considered. Frit fly and leatherjacksoften build up on old pastures.Post drilling husbandry - rolling is usually advisable to ensure the seed is coveredand to lock in moisture, other than when using a drill with an inverted-T slotsystem. Stock should be kept out of the field whilst the seedlings establish -especially sheep which are selective grazers.Do not apply fertiliser 3-4 weeks pre-rejuvenation and only apply fertiliserpost seeding once the new seedlings are visible and will compete with theexisting sward when fertiliser is applied.Do not try to rejuvenate silage swards at the beginning of the season. Theyoung seedlings will be shaded out under a tall crop. Rejuvenation of anyconservation grass is best carried out later in the season and grazed postsowing, when interplant competition is less severe from the existing matureplants.Check for soil structure problems and compaction as this may have been areason for the need for rejuvenation in the first place. If compaction is an issuesubsoiling must be carried out. (For more information on soil compaction seepage 8).For any technical information or a site visit please contact the office on01368 8406555

The ultimate in clover coating technology exclusivelyavailable from Watson SeedsCASTWater reservoir (absorber) placed aroundthe seedAbsorber takes in 100 times more waterthan non-coated seedAdditional water for germination andestablishment of the seedlingOvercomes stress situationsHumic acids as a part of the seed coatingEnhanced nutritional uptakeFaster germinationQuicker establishmentPromotes root developmentAdvantages of Bio-stimulantGreater VitalityQuality of plant and growth will beincreasedReduction in the susceptibility to pests anddiseasesUse of fungicides can be reducedEfficient and economical usageBacteriaRhizobia bacteria for better N-nodulation(red & white clover)Mykorrhiza on grass roots for a betternutritional uptakePlant Nutrition: N, P, K, Mg, Ca, STrace Elements: Fe, Cu, Co, Mn, B, Zn, V, Mo, SiBiochemicalCell Salts (Schussler-Concept)MetabolismOrganic FertiliserVital FunctionsDecontaminationBio-stimulantDecontaminationUronic AcidsNutritive SubstanceResorption ImpulseRevitalising/Regeneration6Germanium

CLOVER REJUVENATIONClover can be introduced into an existing sward to improve soil fertility, increaseanimal performance and reduce the need for expensive fertilisers. Our cloverblends are all first choice on the SAC list and are therefore selected for yield andperformance throughout the growing season. Young clover plants in their firstwinter are quite delicate as they have not had the time to develop stolons. Hardsheep grazing should be avoided until the second season post sowing. Sheep areselective grazers and in a newly rejuvenated sward they can pick out young cloverplants if they are forced to graze the reseed too hard. Herbs such as chicory andribwort plantain are available for mixtures.Rotational CloverBlendDesigned for swards that will be cut orgrazed with cattle and/or sheep. New‘flexible’ varieties are ideal because of theirability to adapt to changes in management.Although generally larger leaved varietiesgive a higher yield under cutting, even themedium leaved varieties in this blend haveexceptionally high yield for their leaf size.VarietiesCrusaderMennaMerwiAliceBarblancaLeaf typeMediumMediumMediumLargeLargePermanent CloverBlendDesigned to withstand harsh winterconditions coupled with the rigours ofhard close grazing particularly associatedwith sheep. A high proportion of smallleaved varieties are included in the mixturebecause their dense network of stolonsgives them good survival and persistencyunder hard grazing.VarietiesRivendelCrusaderMennaMerwiLeaf typeSmallMediumMediumMediumRed Clover BlendWe are pleased to introduce our new redclover blend with the inclusion of the Swisstype Merula, and the variety Global which hasexcellent yield performance. The inclusion ofMerviot compliments the mixture.VarietiesGlobalMerulaMerviotLeaf typeEarly floweringEarly floweringEarly flowering7

8Soil CompactionThe dreadful weather conditions experienced across the country in 2012 has had a serious impact on manygrass and forage crops. Many fields have suffered from severe soil compaction and as a consequence the wholesubject has been brought into sharp focus with a surge in demand for an array of equipment such as slitters,aerators, sub soilers and sward lifters. Compaction is where soil has been squashed into a solid, impermeablelayer, either at the surface or within the topsoil. This band restricts the movement of air, water, and nutrientsdown through the soil profile.This type of damage leads to poor root growth, which stresses the plant and reduces its response to nitrogen.Applying fertiliser to compacted soils is a waste of time and money, as the plant will not be able to fully utiliseit. The risk of fertiliser run-off will increase by as much as 50-60%.Compaction can also cause temporary waterlogging. Wet soils stay colder for longer reducing the numberof available grazing days. They can also make harvesting difficult, which is likely to reduce the quality of theresulting silage.Assessing CompactionIdeally, where soil depthallows, grass roots shouldgo down 30cm or more.Average Content of Preferred Species1009080706050403020100Compaction inhibits rootpenetration, seriouslyreduces grass yield andincreases the risk of soiland fertiliser run-off.Compaction will also leadto a reduction in the sownvarieties in the sward, withweed grasses such as annualmeadow grass developing intheir place.Average Content of Preferred Sown Species in SwardsClassified by Age and Level of Soil CompactionThe swards are illustrated in degrees of compaction0 1-4 5-8 9-20 20+Sward Age (years)Identifying Compaction• Dig a hole at least a spades depth,ideally when the soil is neitherexcessively wet or dry.• Look for how far roots and moistureextend down the profile.• Where there is extra resistanceto the spade, that is the depth ofcompaction in the area.Text and photograph by kind permission of EBLEXThe graph below illustrates the negative impact that compacted soils can have on the potential production ofswards over time. The faster the rate in decline of the sown species the poorer the economic return as thenatural ingression of shallow rooting native grasses is accelerated.AbsentLowAverageHighSevere

CONTACTSListed below are a selection of potential contractors:AreaContactBorders Billy Rae 07774 163665 / 01450 860672Perth, Tayside & Stirling Ian LawrieJimmy Lawrie07885 31669207860 835400Ayrshire/Kirkcudbright David McCubbin 07814 669429Islay Andrew MacMillan 01496 840590 / 01496 840238Speyside George Rae 07730 396773 / 01479 851334Ross-shire Donald Ross 07887 813528Northern Ireland Joseph Walls 02840 638613Or contact your local machinery ring - some members may have drills suitable toyour local conditions which would be worth finding out about.Christopher Walls, of Joseph Walls, with Robin Campbell in a field being rejuvenated usinga Carre Prairial direct drill.9

THE SEED TO YOUR SUCCESSFor Robert Dalrymple, owner of KingsArms Farm, Ballantrae and his FarmManager, Andrew MacLean, the low costsolution to upgrade the grass content ofthe silage field was to overseed it with theCastle Rejuvenation grass mixture. Theestablishment costs were substantiallyreduced and the field was available veryquickly for grazing or silage.After a second cut of silage was taken inAugust, the field was harrowed to removetrash and grazed hard with sheep beforeand after drilling. The grazing by sheepreduces the competition from the existingsward, which is usually the main limitingfactor in establishing new grass in thisenvironment. The sheep were removedjust as the newly introduced grassesstarted to germinate, they were thenreintroduced periodically to control thegrass growth over the next few months.‘Overseeding has given us another threeyears extra production from this field. Ithas transformed the production in bothquality and yield. The improvements to thisgrass sward more than justify the cost ofoverseeding’ Andrew MacLean.10Mr Andrew MacLean, Farm Manager, Kings Arms Farm, Ballantrae, Girvan, Ayrshire. In anewly silaged field that was rejuvenated the previous year using a Vaderstad drill.

Game Cover4.indd 1 11/02/2013 08:57:17Tel: 01368 840655ALSO AVAILABLEFROM WATSON SEEDSGame Cover & Conservation MixturesForage & Root Crop GuideGAME COVER &CONSERVATIONMIXTURESEmail: enquiries@watsonseeds.comWebsite: www.watsonseeds.comFORAGE & ROOTCROPSSALTIREMIXTURES• Reliably Good Seed •2013SALTIRE MIXTURES 2013RELIABLY GOOD SEEDCASTLE MIXTURES 2013PREMIUM PERFORMANCEMIXTURESGROGREEN 2013AMENITY ANDWILDFLOWER MIXTURESPlease contact the office, on 01368 840655, forour dedicated booklets or alternatively, visitour website at www.watsonseeds.com.11

Skateraw, Dunbar, East Lothian EH42 1QRLocal Rate Telephone No: 0845 872 8873Tel: 01368 840655 Fax: 01368 840677Email: enquiries@watsonseeds.comwww.watsonseeds.com