The autumn or backend of the year is often a time of year when many farmers look at getting some reseeding done.
Reseeding fields and paddocks is vital to ensure that herbage production on farm remains at a high level.
It has become increasingly more important as farmers look to grow large amounts of grass using less chemical fertiliser.
When reseeding paddocks it is also a good time to correct any soil fertility issues that may be present.
Reseeding
Although many would usually start looking at reseeding in August, the wet weather has delayed plans and now is the first chance many have had to try.
Anyone planning on completing reseeding this autumn needs to have sown by the first few weeks of September.
There are a number of different methods for reseeding and when done in the correct way, they can all be successful.
The important thing to remember is to ensure that as much of the old sward has been removed; spraying off the paddock generally achieves the best results.
You also need to watch the weather forecast and ensure that conditions are correct and that the right nutrients are in place for the plants.
Clover
Farmers that are completing some reseeding over the coming weeks should ensure that clover is present in the mix.
Most mixes have some level of clover present, but it is important to ensure that this clover is given the correct management to thrive within the sward.
You could just oversow clover into the sward once it has been established, but there are issues around getting straight clover seeds.
Although, if you are concerned that weeds may be an issue once the new sward starts to grow, this may be the best option.
A level of weed burden can be expected if high levels of weeds will reduce herbage production and can be expensive to correct.