Search found 12 matches

by nickygradyscott
Mon Dec 18, 2023 10:17 am
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Too wet and too late to seed?
Replies: 5
Views: 7177

Re: Too wet and too late to seed?

you can always put Yellow rattle in the freezer for a while before sowing - and I would say you are not too late. I walk around the field with some pre-chilled seeds and sprinkle onto molehills and badger scrapes - works really well
by nickygradyscott
Mon Oct 30, 2023 10:09 am
Forum: Meadow Cutting
Topic: Poor wet soil - fine mulch/the exception to the rule of clearing cut vegetation?
Replies: 5
Views: 5593

Re: Poor wet soil - fine mulch/the exception to the rule of clearing cut vegetation?

I think in this case I would be inclined to leave it to nature to decide - our meadow goes down to a wet common which has ponies and cattle grazing. It is on the edge of Dartmoor and is peaty soil. We have an abundance or orchids, ragged robin, Bog bean - in fact a Bio Blitz was done on it and it ha...
by nickygradyscott
Sun May 28, 2023 9:45 am
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: using grass cuttings as a mulch around orchard trees
Replies: 3
Views: 2428

Re: using grass cuttings as a mulch around orchard trees

I use grass cuttings as a mulch all the time. don't pile them up against the trunks of the trees. If you compost them you must layer or mix with something to allow airflow. Haystacks could spontaneously combust if the hay was not properly dried. it's the balance between air and water that created th...
by nickygradyscott
Mon Dec 12, 2022 11:25 am
Forum: Other Habitat Management
Topic: Blackthorn control
Replies: 3
Views: 2835

Blackthorn control

Hey people! anyone have any cunning ways to control blackthorn without using any herbicides? we have a lot of suckers creeping in and whilst I would love to let the area scrub up it's just not practical where it is.
by nickygradyscott
Mon Aug 15, 2022 1:26 pm
Forum: All about Verges, Churchyards and other Public Green Spaces
Topic: Calling all churchyards!
Replies: 7
Views: 10267

Re: Calling all churchyards!

we've done two bioblitzes on our churchyard in Chagford wit the help of UCL happy to share etc
by nickygradyscott
Sun Jun 26, 2022 12:26 pm
Forum: West Devon
Topic: Yellow Rattle
Replies: 6
Views: 4438

Re: Yellow Rattle

I started with 600 grams of Rattle on a 4.5 acre field in Chagford - I sowed it in Autumn over a period of time into molehills mainly and any poached or bare looking areas to get best seed contact with the soil. I now have it all over - if you want to come and collect some I do charge a bit but if y...
by nickygradyscott
Mon Aug 23, 2021 9:50 am
Forum: East Devon
Topic: Removing cut material - Exminster
Replies: 7
Views: 4327

Re: Removing cut material - Exminster

Failing getting it turned and baled it can be composted. Ideally it would be mixed with some tougher materials (like woodchip) to allow an airflow through and then a good aerobic compost could be made - which could be used on other Parish projects such as community gardens or allotments. I was takin...
by nickygradyscott
Sun Feb 14, 2021 11:10 am
Forum: Field Scale Meadow Restoration and Creation
Topic: wildflowers on topsoil
Replies: 3
Views: 4112

Re: wildflowers on topsoil

Hi Stephan I've now given away all my Yellow rattle seed for this season - that's the plant you really need to weaken the grasses through its hemi parasitic nature. I was told by the nay sayers that our field was 'too rich' for wildflowers. Also it was full of 'rubbish' plants like nettles, docks an...
by nickygradyscott
Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:04 pm
Forum: Field Scale Meadow Restoration and Creation
Topic: Increasing diversity in a meadow
Replies: 6
Views: 8678

Re: Increasing diversity in a meadow

Hi Peter, many of the seeds need overwintering to get germinating so best sown in autumn - or you can mimic by putting in the freezer for a few days prior. I established yellow rattle very successfully by sowing on molehills and where the badgers had scraped up the field. in the churchyard after mow...
by nickygradyscott
Sun Jan 03, 2021 12:59 pm
Forum: West Devon
Topic: A new West Devon group
Replies: 29
Views: 317353

Re: A new West Devon group

Hi Jon - I do live in West Devon and am already on the Moor meadows steering group but happy to help where I can Nicky Scott