Should you re-seed?

Prolonged drought has left paddocks looking bare and brown with little or no grass growth. Alpaca editor Liz Mason asks Cotswold Seeds if owners should consider re-seeding this autumn?

Some may consider re-seeding pasture areas if the drought has killed off all the grasses in the sward, says Cotswold Seeds technical sales advisor, Lizzie Arnold.

“At the moment it is difficult to say whether or not pastures will end up recovering if we do get some rain. What we will probably find is that a lot of people over-seed pastures as this can be easier then undertaking a total re-seed of an area,” Lizzie says.

For those that are considering re-seeding Lizzie suggests Cotswold’s Llama and Alpaca Mix. This mix contains a variety of palatable grasses that llamas and alpacas tend to prefer and avoids using any ryegrass as this can be too high in sugar.

“If they were not able to re-seed and over-seeding was the only option we would recommend our Equine Pasture Over-Seeding mix. This mixture again doesn't contain any ryegrass and we use similar grasses to the Llama and

Alpaca mixture. However, just trim it down slightly as some species over-seed better than others, Lizzie adds.

Both these mixtures will give more drought tolerance to a sward which means paddocks and fields should be able to withstand periods of drought better than a ryegrass sward for example.

Preparation is key to successful establishment as Cotswold Seeds’s guidance notes, from Lizzie Arnold and technical manager Sam Lane, highlight.

Over-seeding an alpaca pasture

The key to successful over-seeding is to reduce the competition from the existing sward as much as possible, before introducing the new seeds.

Sowing in warm conditions, just before rain or damp weather, will encourage the new seeds to germinate quickly.

When to sow: Over-seeding can be carried out during early to mid spring. Late spring and early summer sowings should be avoided as this will coincide with aggressive grass growth from the existing pasture. Alternatively, over-seed in the autumn, from late August to mid September, when the existing grass is slowing down.

Sowing rate: We advise an over-seeding rate of 10 kgs per acre. This is a robust rate which takes into account that it’s not a complete reseed, but that new seeds are being sown into an existing sward

Seed mixtures: For alpaca paddocks we would avoid using a ryegrass based mixture. Instead we would opt for the more traditional meadow grasses as ryegrass can have an effect on alpaca fleeces causing them to coarsen because of the high sugar levels it contains. However, the preparation before over-seeding becomes even more key because these species are less aggressive so compete less with the existing grass sward; this old sward must be reduced significantly to give these traditional species a chance to establish.

Preparation: Graze or cut hard and narrow the existing sward vigorously before sowing to reduce competition and open up new space and soil for the new seeds. Several passes with the harrows at slightly different angles may be necessary.

When sowing the new seeds, be wary of sowing too deeply with aggressive direct drills. Sowing small seeds too deeply is the number one cause of poor establishment. Alternatively, broadcast the seed, followed by an additional harrow.

After sowing, roll the area or tread in with the alpacas to lock in moisture and create good seed to soil contact. Animals can be left on the area for three to four days after sowing to further keep on top of the old sward (soil conditions allowing) but must be removed before the new seeds germinate.

Before reintroducing stock, carry out the pluck or rip test: If you can pull up the new seedlings by the roots, allow seedlings further time to establish better root anchorage. The interval between sowing and leaving the new seeds to establish will normally be six to eight weeks. When the new seeds are sufficiently established, graze lightly for several days, before removing the animals and allowing the area to recover for three to four weeks.

Resume normal grazing after this period, managing the grazing by splitting larger fields into paddocks and rotational grazing. Fencing off and recently grazed areas rested will help the grass recover more quickly.

Do not fertilise areas that have been over-seeded for at least six weeks after sowing.

Applying fertiliser immediately after over-seeding will only benefit the existing sward and may cause that grass to smother out the newly emerging seeds.

For more information: www.cotswoldseeds.com

Sweltering summer temperatures and no rain have left fields and paddocks looking brown. East Anglia has been particularly hard hit