The Meadow Makers' Network Forum

Thank you, Alice. Your dissertation sounds very interesting. I'd love to hear about it. I've left a partial shallow mulch now in selected places for this winter, as I was concerned to see a cut by the flail mower in mid October, left bare soil in between the cut grass and flower stalks which may not...

Protection of wet ground? My question arises from a starting point of specific areas of land with unfertilised, poor, deep, permanently damp solid clay, with a natural vegetation cover of soft and sharp rush, wood club-rush where soil has been disturbed, yorkshire fog, fleabane and similar wet lovin...

Thank you, Steve. As I happen to have a spare £750,000 .. watch this space! :D I shouldn't need to dig so deep - this is a much loved area of open access land, much used and enjoyed by the local community. I hope we will be able to continue to walk and ride there. I hope it won't be bought by a pens...

"The good news is that if you already have five or more species growing on your meadows site, the best thing you can do is to resist reaching for a seed packet and instead simply reinstate annual meadow maintenance by way of grazing, hay cutting or mowing. This will create the right conditions ...

"If you already have five or more wild flower species frequently occurring across your site, we recommend letting your meadow regenerate naturally by reinstating hay meadow or pasture management techniques. This naturalistic approach will help to conserve the distinctive character of your local...

Try asking your Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. People interested in making meadows often contact their local trust for advice and seed. YWT manages a coronation meadow. https://coronationmeadows.org.uk/meadow/priory-meadows-kingston-upon-hull The person at YWT responsible for the meadow may have some con...

If I were you, I wouldn't rush to seed it. That was my own mistake. I have wet clay permanent pasture with similar grasses to you. I sowed seed enthusiastically, and the grass ate it up. i.e. the existing grass smothered any seedlings. A lot of money and a lot of hope and excitement were wasted. I t...

I cut the fields in October when the grass and flower stems are relatively dead and dry, and many seeds have fallen. I leave my meadow cuttings from October until the following spring in a large heap. As Donna says, it needs careful placement. Move it only the once if you can. I found it is better t...

Farmers on Exmoor tie their plastic feed bags in the gaps in a hedge where the red deer jump through into the field. The bags flap in the wind. You could use anything similar. Change the position regularly, so the deer don't get used to them and ignore the bags. We know someone who has used a deer a...

Hi there SkyGallic. It is a great idea to encourage hedgehogs into your garden. What a lovely idea. Hedgehog attractants - thoughts of safety, food, and shelter spring to mind. First though, as there is probably a hedgehog charity near you - I would contact them for advice, and ask all your neighbou...