AboutMick Bridge Expertise Expert in agrochemicals. Detailed knowledge of activity, use of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides etc. Benefits, disadvantages of agrochemicals v. organic farming.
Also expert in garden and greenhouse ornamental plants including pest control.
Experience Agrochemicals 30 years in the industry in England, the last 10 years as a self-employed consultant.
Garden plants 30 years as a hobby.
Education/Credentials Degree in Biochemistry from Cambridge University, England
Question QUESTION: Hi, We have a big problem with clover overtaking our horse pastures, it is everywhere on our 8 acres. Last year the horses had a terrible time drooling with the clover. We would really like to get rid of it we tried to topseed this year but really nothing seemed to come up but the weeds. We have kept the horses off the pasture but nothing seems to be happening. We were trying to avoiding tilling the pastures as that takes so long to produce grass and keeping the horses in a paddock is difficult. If you have any advice please let us know. THanks
ANSWER: There are weedkillers that can kill broadleaved weeds in grass pastures, but they are less effective against clover than weeds. However, if you want to do this see: http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/forage/alsike/alsike.htm
This also tells you about different clovers and the problem with alsike clover.
Usually if clover is taking over from grass this suggests that the soil is short of nitrogen fertiliser. As clover fixes its own nitrogen in root nodules, it can still grow, but the grass growth is limited. If you haven't fertilised the pastures for some time, you probably should. It would be sensible to take some samples and have them checked for nutrient levels.
see http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/horses/facts/pasture2.htm
and http://www.extension.umn.edu/horse/components/pdfs/FactSheets/PastureManagement_...
If no grass grew from the overseeding, it could be that the land is too compacted. Have the pastures been flooded in recent years? If so and surface compaction has resulted, tilling may be the only answer, but you could try the other things first.
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QUESTION: Hi we first limed then later fertlised than raked the field good to rough it up then top seeded. does the nitogen change from year to year. No flooding rain problems either we had the soil tested 4 yrs ago and it had a high ph . So we put lime down each year.
Answer OK. Nitrogen will change a little from year to year, but not significantly. You say the soil had a high pH. You mean a low pH. Acid soils have low pH and alkaline soils a high one. If it really had a high pH, obviously adding lime makes it worse. Clovers grow better in alkaline soils than in acid ones. Could you have over-limed?
It would help you to know which clover or clovers you have as this could also help indicate soil pH. The first website in my original answer, www.agf etc. shows you how to tell the difference.
When you had soil tested how many samples did you take? I don't know how big the field is but pH can vary greatly across fields if you happen to be in a place where soil type changes or there is a chalk outcrop in one particular place. If you only took one or two samples it's possible that most of the field was alkaline (high pH) but the bit where you sampled was acid (low pH) leading you to overdose with lime.
