How to avoid pitfalls when reseeding.

How to avoid pitfalls when reseeding.Reseeding is expensive, but when done correctly it can pay for itself in two years – which is a very quick return on investment.Germinal’s Dr. Mary McEvoy highlights some of the most common pitfalls to avoid when reseeding. Avoiding these will give a much better chance of successful establishment of a high-performing sward for years to come. 1)Poor Kill Of Old Sward :Desiccation or killing off of the old sward is an essential first step when reseeding and the only opportunity you will have to control grass weeds in the sward. It also presents an ideal opportunity to destroy difficult weeds such as docks, thistles and other grass weeds. Using the top rate of glyphosate, as per the product label, and a high water volume is essential to achieve successful dessication of the old sward. About seven-to-10 days after spraying the sward should be grazed/cut tightly to minimize the surface trash. Allow the product adequate time to work. For min-till operations, the recommendation would be 16-to-20 days from spraying to cultivation. This will ensure the herbicide has adequate time to translocate to the roots and kill the plant in its entirety. 2) Poor Seedbed Preparation; Cloudy Seedbed A cloudy seedbed occurs as a result of cultivating too soon after spraying the old sward. Therefore, allowing adequate time for the herbicide to kill the roots is essential to ensure the roots are destroyed – and will avoid clods in the seedbed. For min-till, as explained above, this can take 16-20 days. continue