Paddock Maintenance Tips
Want to transform your damaged fields into immaculate paddocks? Here we offer advice from grassland expert Jonathan Cox.
Top Tips for Keeping your Paddocks in Good Condition
Poached land can be rescued, but timing is very important. If the ground is too wet using a tractor will make a real mess. If the ground has dried out too much then the hoof prints and ruts may not roll back flat, leaving you with an uneven rough field which can be unsafe.
- Start renovation work in spring when the land should be drying out and the temperature warming up.
- Harrow the field. This will tear out moss, break up and level heavy soil, to improve the soil structure and make a seedbed. Harrow as a matter of routine throughout the year.
- Fertilising is a vital component to achieving a well-balanced paddock. It stimulates root development, resulting in a denser sward and therefore suppressing weed growth. After in depth research and development Suregrow Fertiliser has been designed to be slow release and low in nitrogen avoiding lush high protein grass which can be harmful.
- Ensure your paddocks are not mineral deficient by using CSM. A granular blend of calcified seaweed, CSM is created from sustainable sources, sun dried sea salt and a natural source of Magnesium. This helps makes sure your grass is of the best quality and gives it an extra boost.
- Choose your grass seed carefully a good paddock mixture should be hard wearing, quick to establish and contain the right blend for your paddock. Suregrow’s grass seed range consists of Paddock Grass Seed Mix, Fast Grass, Meadow and Laminitics Grass Mix.
- Oversow poached or damaged areas as weeds may invade these parts. Grass seed can be spread by hand, drill or fertiliser spreader.
- If the preparation is right then the maintenance and upkeep is relatively easy. Topping stops the grazing sward from getting leggy and encourages horses to graze an entire field, not just parts of it.
- Pull out weeds when you see them and don’t leave them to spread their seeds. Regularly remove horse droppings from your pasture.
- Put in an extra gate. This will help prevent poaching and allow one gateway time to recover.
Specialising in the care of grassland for horses and ponies, Suregrow has a range of products including fertilisers, mineral and trace elements and grass seeds specifically selected for horse and pony paddocks, as well as the ultimate in arena and ground care management.
Suregrow products include Suregrow Fertiliser, CSM, Paddock Grass Seed Mix, Fast Grass, Meadow and Laminitics Grass Mix.
To find out more about the Suregrow range please contact Suregrow on 01423 223045 or visit www.suregrowuk.com.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.
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