GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

Janet · 11-04-2014, 12:22 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In article ,
says...

One thing they didn't discuss that I would have found very interesting is
the maintenance/over-wintering cycle for meadow garden areas. Do they
cut and rake or bale? Harrow? Etc.

They mentioned taking the hay off and spreading the hay where they want
to extend the wildflowers.

We have a meadow in the maple
collection area with cut grass paths, which I mulch and leave lying
usually in August. It looks great in spring and summer but a mess in
fall. We do collect it up before winter so that the meadow is green.

I used to cut outs at the end of July/beginning of August, rake off
the hay and spread it under trees as mulch. It would be 3 ft deep to
start but the hens very rapidly broke it down.

You really need to keep reducing the fertility of coarser grasses.
I noticed that at Dixter the wildflower meadow contained a very high
concentration of yellow rattle, which is supposed to have exactly that
effect on grasses.

http://www.grasslands-trust.org/sowi...-yellow-rattle

Janet