Autumn reseeding is still the preferred option on the majority of farms across the country as the pressure for grass availability eases up after second cut silage.
Although many farmers are set to take a third cut of silage, there should still be an emphasis on getting some reseeding done.
With the unpredictability in weather and the poor growing conditions throughout the grazing season, farmers need to make sure they are giving their grass the best opportunity to grow.
Reseeding this autumn will ensure that your soil is performing at its maximum level come the following spring, which should see good growth rates prevail throughout the growing season.
However, the further we progress into the autumn, the conditions and weather can make it difficult to get the reseeding done, and the weather can change rapidly meaning getting the timing of it is crucial.
Autumn reseeding
The aim for an autumn reseed is to have the seed in the ground by the first week of September, as delaying it further into September sees the risk of poor germination rising due to the falling soil temperatures.
With deteriorating soil conditions, establishing a firm seed bed will be difficult and there will be fewer opportunities to use a post-emergence spay and get a grazing in before the winter.
The target turnaround time for a reseed in the autumn should be 50 to 60 days, so farmers need to start picking out paddocks for reseeding now, in order to spray them off time to get the see in the ground in the first week of September.
For discing and power harrowing, three weeks should be left after spraying off until tilling. If you are ploughing, 10 days is enough after spraying.
Trash should be removed five days after spraying either though cutting or grazing.
Soil testing should be carried out to put a liming and fertiliser programme for the reseeded field in place.
The Pasture Profit Index (PPI) should be used to to identify a suitable grass for your farm, as the variety tool will identify the best varieties to sow when reseeding at different times of the year.
Sowing white clover in the autumn can be difficult to establish, as soil temperatures are on decline and at this time of the year, clover finds it difficult to compete with grass.
When incorporating clover into your autumn reseed, the earlier you start, the better.
Paddock preparation
Paddock preparation depends on soil type, amount of underlying stone and the machine / contractor that is available to you at the time.
There are four different methods of cultivation: ploughing, discing, one-pass and direct drill and each of these are equally effective when done right.
The dos and do nots of different cultivation methods as per Teagasc are as follows:
Do
Don’t
Ploughing
– Shallow plough;
– Develop a fine, firm and level seedbed.– Plough too deeply (>15cm);
– Cloddy, loose seedbed.
Discing
– Graze tight;
– 2-3 passes in angled directions;
– Apply lime. – Drive with a fast forward speed leading to an uneven seedbed.
One-pass
– Graze tight, apply lime;
– Slow forward speed at cultivation. – Drive with fast forward speed leading to a rough, patchy seedbed.
Direct drill
– Graze tight, apply lime and slug pellets;
– Wait for moist ground conditions.– ‘Trashy’ seedbed will lead to no seed/soil contact;
– Use when ground is hard and dry.
Applying a post-emergence weed spray once the grass is at the 2-3 leaf stage after about five to six weeks after sowing, is crucial for controlling weed infestation.
It is also essential that the new reseed gets a grazing as soon, as the plants are not able to pull out of the ground at approximately 700-1,000kg DM/ha.
Calves or young stock are a good option for grazing the paddock at first, as they won’t do as much damage as older cattle or milking cows would.
