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MANAGING MEADOWS AND GRASSLANDS |
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MANAGEMENT OF ESTABLISHED MEADOWS AND GRASSLANDSOnce established, the nature and intensity of management will largely determine if the sown mixture will develop and maintain the characteristics of a true meadow, or whether it will evolve into other grassland types such as pasture or rough grassland.
(A) Managed by hay making, or late silage, and aftermath grazingThe ideal management for a meadow mixture is to take a hay or silage cut in late July, followed by aftermath grazing off and on through to the end of February, and then closing up the meadow till the next cut is taken again in July. The main flowering period, which can be stunning, runs from early May until the end of June. Under this regime the first flowering of the meadow will be dominated by quicker establishing perennials such as Ox-eye Daisy and Sorrel, and the growth will be vigorous as nutrients released on preparing the seed bed are utilised. In following years the meadow becomes more diverse as slower establishing species appear and the growth is less vigorous as nutrients become fixed in root systems. On more fertile soils there may be some initial problems with perennial weeds. These weeds may be spot sprayed with a selective herbicide. However, most problem weeds such as Docks and Thistles are often suppressed by the annual cut in July and may gradually decline under good management.
(B) Managed by grazing aloneIf grazed continuously a meadow mixture will degenerate into pasture with the loss of erect growing species, and species that depend on regular seed production, and there will be a lack of flowering. However, livestock can be used to simulate a hay making regime. The stock are run in the standing hay in July, the meadow is topped in August, the stock graze on and off through to the end of February, and then the meadow is shut up again until July. Different livestock can be used, each having quite a different effect on the vegetation.
Cattle are not fussy eaters and are good at clearing vegetation, pulling out thatch and trampling Bracken. They do, however, normally avoid Ragwort, Thistles and Dock, and are heavy footed, leaving the ground uneven and puddled.
Sheep are fussy eaters showing a strong liking for flower heads, stripping a field within hours. They will eat broad leaved species in preference to grasses and will gradually eat back scrub. They have a taste for Ragwort, eating the flowers in summer and the rosettes in winter, quickly eliminating the plant. When hungry they will eat most plants, but rarely will they touch Bracken, Thistles, Nettles and Rushes. They are light footed, preferring to step on higher ground, and they leave a field smooth, close cropped and dominated by grasses.
Horses are very fussy eaters preferring grasses to flowering plants. They will not usually eat Ragwort, Nettles, Docks and Thistles and often confine their grazing to favoured areas. They are heavy footed, but horses usually leave a field richer in flowers and with a patchy distribution of species
(C) Managed by cutting alone.If it is not possible to make hay or silage, and livestock are not available, then the next best option is to manage the meadow by cutting alone. Following flowering in May and June, the main cut is taken in July. A strimmer is ideal for small areas. The material produced will usually need to be carted off to prevent die back of the sward. If the cuttings have no use they can be heaped in a corner of the site where in time they will host fungi, invertebrates and possibly even breeding Grass Snakes. Without grazing, further cuts may be required in the autumn and winter, and any build up of thatch can be pulled out with grass harrows or a rake. The removal of thatch will favour grassland annuals such as Yellow Rattle, and short lived perennials like Ox-eye Daisy. Following the last cut the meadow is left untouched until the main mid-summer cut is taken again.
(D) Unmanaged grassland.If a meadow mixture is left unmanaged it will quickly become dominated by coarse erect species. Most of the sown species will decline, particularly those that are short lived, are low growing or have a rosette or creeping habit. They will often be replaced by coarse grasses such as False Oat-grass, Cocksfoot and Yorkshire Fog. Unmanaged grasslands can provide a really good habitat for invertebrates, small mammals and others, and this can be catered for by leaving part of a meadow uncut. Select a corner of the site, or perhaps a margin around a field, and leave it uncut at hay making. The next year do the same on a different section so that the meadow flora does not degenerate. If you wish to create a dedicated area of unmanaged grassland then it is best to use a tussock mixture such as EM10. This consists of tussock grasses such as Cocksfoot and Tufted Hairgrass and stout wild flowers such as Knapweed and Meadow Cranesbill. Seed sowing and first year management is the same as for a meadow mixture, after which the mixture is left uncut and ungrazed. There will be no management apart from the occasional spot treatment of any weeds that may appear.
(E) Management of very infertile sites.If presented with a site that consists of a very poor substrate, such as clay subsoil, sand, chalk or limestone, it may be best to resist the temptation to spread topsoil. Although establishment will be very slow, the resulting vegetation will be very interesting and flower rich, and there will be little management and few weed problems. For example, meadow mixture EM6 sown onto pure chalk may take 10 years or more to fully establish and it will probably be much longer before all the chalk is covered with vegetation. Legumes and deep rooted flowers such as Salad Burnet and Small Scabious will do very well, while grasses, which tend to be surface rooting, will be diminutive. There are unlikely to be weed problems and cutting or grazing may need to be no more than occasional.
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Emorsgate Wild Seeds |
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