Reseeding has become a routine action on many farms; so it is important that it is completed and managed correctly from beginning to end.
One area that farmers fall down on when they are carrying out reseeding is the management of the new reseed after it is established.
During the recent Moorepark ’19 open day, a reseeding demonstration was present to demonstrate the importance of spraying – particularly the post-emergence spray – for mitigating weeds in the sward.
A total of six plots were on display on the day. Four of these plots were reseeded two months ago with the others reseeded in 2017.
Each of the reseeded plots were ploughed and tilled; but each had different herbicide programmes pre and post-sowing.
The reseeded plot (above) was not treated with glyphosate before establishment and did not receive a post-emergence spray. The reseed had a lot of docks and other weeds coming through. The total cost of reseeding the plot was be €660/ha.
The plot (above) received glyphosate, but no post-emergence spray. The glyphosate killed off all the big docks, but a lot of little seedling docks were coming back through.
The advice on the day was to leave it alone for this year and go back and spray it again next year. Although having not applied a post-emergence spray it will be much more difficult to mitigate the docks.
The plot (above) did not receive glyphosate, but it did receive a post-emergence spray. It was a very clean reseed considering it did not receive any glyphosate.
The importance of applying a post-emergence spray was noted on the day. The plot below shows that it does work.
The plot (above) got both glyphosate and a post-emergence spray. The total cost of this reseed was €799/ha.
It was advised on the day to include glyphosate; particularly if the paddock contains a high-amount of weeds before being reseeded.
The plot (above) was on display at the 2017 Moorepark Open Day. It did not received glyphosate or post-emergence spray.
The weeds have taken over the sward and were probably helped by last year’s drought.
Finally, this plot (above) was sown at the same time as the previous plot, but it got glyphosate and post-emergence spray. This plot contained very little weeds.