When to Cut Your Meadow?
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- čas přidán 2. 09. 2021
- In this video we look at the best time to mow a meadow. Thank you for watching and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE and turn ON the notification "bell" to get the latest video updates.
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#WhenToCutAMeadow #WildflowerMeadow #Meadow - Jak na to + styl
You're a credit to your profession sir!
Thank you Brian, so much - your support is really appreciated. Sorry if I missed another comment from you regarding artificial lawns but when I clicked on the notification I couldn't find the comment, suffice to say I agree with you entirely - so much oil used to produce and we both know that when this fad becomes "so last year..." that most of it will end up in landfill :/ Thanks for your kind words, they mean a lot - best wishes, Joel
Oh, good post!
One late autumn cut per year is a 'lowest common denominator' sheme, often advocated by those wanting minimum cost. Part of the rationale is that by cutting late, they allow maximum opportunity for seed set, but if there are no gaps in a dense sward, the opportunity for plants to germinate and establish is very small! In the absence of any grazing, mowing timing and frequency should be part of your management strategy, which in turn is dependant on what are your species of interest. If you have small species such as autumn ladies' tresses (ALT) or other orchids or some insect species or herpetiles, then if you only have 1 late cut a year you will lose those species due to competition by rank grasses. If you have ALT, you need to mow tight until July when the plants produce flowering spikes, leave 'til they are finished and then mow again.
Changing mowing timings and frequencies can be a good tool to change the composition of your sward. Don't forget that you can change annual or biannual species into facultative perennials by removing the flowering spikes before seed set, as well as extending flowering season in some cases.
So, the best plan is figure out what you already have (you may have nice surprises like the ALTs in the front lawn of my suburban semi so don't be in a hurry) and design your regimes accordingly. Me cutting my old terraced council house front lawn in Sept with a scythe became a spectator sport...
Thanks for this additional info for the community, it will be appreciated :) The "spectator sport" bit did make me smile. Personally, the meadows I manage are helped by the introduction of Yellow Rattle of course and for my clients it's the different species these environments attract, particularly the seed heads for birds :) Best wishes, Joel
My first year of meadow life so this video is very much appreciated, thank you 👍
Really glad it was helpful Lisa - thanks for your support, it's appreciated :) Best wishes - Joel
I t get's better Lisa x
@@casper1240 that’s good to know, thank you 😊
Great episode and clear explanation on the dilemma of when to cut.
Great that some areas are left uncut when you consider the wildlife need.
Hope you're well Joel and all the best to you and yours - mick.
Yes i agree leave a bit uncut for the Owls and Voles
I really like your philosophy on protecting wild habitats . Good video .
Thank you for the video. Very informative. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I now feel more confident about cutting down my garden meadow over the next couple of weeks.
That's so good to hear Helen, thank you for your support - it's appreciated :) I hope you enjoy the rest of the channel, there's lots of videos all surrounding wildlife and how we can best help. Best wishes - Joel
Really helpful I can't grow a meadow due to the number of trees in my garden roots are a problem but so is leaf fall and shade. I do leave long patches that have some wildflowers Red campion, Jack by the hedge, oxeye daisy, cowslip etc and long grass is good for insects hiding and froglets so I cut these grass patches in September. But generally my patches look a little like under the apple trees in the video. I did cut the top off the grass in July by hand and found this helped with that collapsing state. Off to cut my patches now.
I have had this very discussion with members of my community group and totally agree with your rationalising!
Thank you for commenting and agreeing. There’s a lot to consider! 😁👍
Thanks for the info, I am a grounds supervisor for my local town council, we created a large wildflower meadow in one of our open spaces, it's done brilliantly and we're planning on strimming and raking off early September.
I am In process of planning to do more meadows in our other open spaces and in non active priory grave yard which we manage
Hi Stuart - thanks so much for this, brilliant to read after a hard day :) Well done on your efforts and well done to the council, I wish many others would follow suit - what a great example you're setting - here if you need any other advice, or you can drop me a line at hazelwoodlandscapes@hotmail.com. Best wishes, Joel
Very informative video and the ladybird in the knapweed was pretty cool 🐞🐝
He was great - and right on cue! Thanks for your support Mark - appreciated. Best wishes - Joel
Thank you very much for this - it’s very informative and useful - really appreciate it
You're very welcome Chris, apologies for the delay in acknowledging you but I've been flat out making the most of the remaining lighter evenings, but I'm so glad it was of help and I really appreciate the support and encouragement, it makes a huge difference - best wishes, Joel
Cracking video matey.💚
Thanks Mark - appreciated! Hope you and yours are doing fine - best wishes, Joel
very helpful, thank you!
You're welcome! Thanks so much for letting me know, I appreciate it :) Best wishes, Joel
Great videos. Very informative.
Thank you Jon, glad you are enjoying the channel and that it's helpful - best wishes, Joel
Thanks for mentioning leaving a bit uncut of the cuties!!!
Excellent video. I agree, knapweed has awesome value for nature. With smaller meadows (under an acre) I suggest scything those rank areas and, I also agree, best to hold of mowing until the Yarrow is slowing down in mid-Sept.
Hey Charlie - thank you, so much :) Scything is always the best method and allows for neatness without sacrificing those insects that are in larval/pupa stage over winter that can so easily be destroyed in these late cuts too, when they're cut so short with mechanical means (in gardens with mowers too), it's a fine line and takes more work and consideration but I can't help but think of all this unseen nature that is made homeless or worse during these excessive meadow cuts throughout the year. I do understand it's needed, but as you say, once a year and in mid-late September is so much better. Best wishes, Joel
Thank you, Joel, for another very informative video🙂. I guess for most people September would be best as most blooms have finished and that's why I would stick with your advice when I get my meadow established, hopefully, next spring if all goes well. Cutting in the middle of July when most wildflowers are blooming makes no sense (to me anyway). I would want to enjoy the colour of the wildflowers and give pollinators and wildlife a chance to enjoy the food and nectar too. Have a great week! Laurie & Karen.
Hey Laurie :) I knew you'd agree with me - it has to be cut at some point, September/early October just seems the safest all round and ensures the meadow is tip-top for the following Spring - can't wait til yours is underway! Best wishes, Joel
It is useful video
I'm your fan and I'm from Vietnam
Hi Phong :) That's so good to hear, I'm really grateful for your support and to know the channel is reaching Vietnam too is great! Many thanks - best wishes to you and yours - Joel
20k subscribers congratulations Joel 👏🏻👏🏻 🐸💚🐸
Thank you so much 😀 Can't quite believe it! Best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton you deserve it mate keep up the brilliant work 👍🏻
@@UkAmphibians I'm so glad the "word" is spreading about how best to cater for wildlife, your consistent support makes all the difference too :)
To my limited knowledge areas that are not cut and fold over, developing a lovely thick spongey layer of thatch, are very good for lots of creatures. Harvest mice and field voles for example need this kind of habitat to take cover, as they use tunnels made through the thatch. It is this rough grassland that owls need as their prey are primarily the small mammals that rely on the thatch layer. Presumably it is important hunting and hiding habitat for hedgehogs in gardens too, and I have seen frogs hunting in it.
These areas can be maintained by "topping off" the standing grass stems without touching the thatch beneath. Including these areas in a wildlife garden's mosaic of habitats surely amplifies the total value of the space.
Any chance of a video showing the cutting process Joel? Always a bit torn with how/when to do carry this out, seems counter intuitive that a 'wild' meadow is maintained but that's a conversation for another day! Love the channel 🤗
Your wish.... my command etc! ;) I had this video lined up anyway but hope it's perfect timing for you. Totally agree with the "wild" meadow part, not sure to be honest how long the human race has been creating and utilising meadows but I guess they've supported a great deal of life over the years, just such a shame we've lost so many of them - I do hope all the garden meadows now help to make up for some of this loss and provide the much needed habitat - you can see the cutting of this meadow in the latest video - hope it helps - best wishes, Joel
Great!
Thank you Cornelius :) Best wishes, Joel
A great watch and listen Joel. I have a wildflower meadow bordering my garden that got cut to within an inch of its life (with no buffer zones left) just as the knapweeds were about to flower, this after a very cold, wet spring and the bees in particular not yet utilising the hawthorn flowers so I was very concerned. Now, the meadow has recovered as it appears has the bee population. Butterflies were scarce but I am now seeing larger numbers although August was a strange overcast month with seemingly decent temperatures but feeling cold to me and a poor showing of both bees and butterflies with those bees that I did see being in a comatose state. Like you say, It's not an exact science but my preference is for a cut as late in the year as possible. Keep up the great, inspirational work. Paul 👍😊
So glad to hear that it recovered Paul and is obviously sustaining a fair bit of life. Like you though, I just see the most sense all round for cutting during September and into early October if weather permits etc. I really appreciate your positive comments, it means a lot. Best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton and I Joel really appreciate the wonderful contribution that you are making, helping wildlife and people to live in harmony and flourish. Thank you. 👍😊
Great info we look after 4 sites and look after some road verges and are in constant debate over cutting schedules I like to work on 0nce a year September time
That's so good to hear. Once a year is best in my experience, so much life depends on these meadows throughout the summer :) Best wishes, and thank you - Joel
Excellent thanks for sign posting me to this Joel - answered most of my questions thank you. Would you rake off the clippings into a pile to leave or just leave where they land?
Hey there - sorry, about not giving that info, but definitely clear the clippings and put into a pile, slow worms, hedgehogs etc will thank you for it :) Leaving the clippings where they land will smother existing wildflowers and eventually add more nutrient, which is what you definitely don't want. I hope this helps, but I'm here if you have any questions - best wishes, Joel
It feels as though these should be scythed, as opposed to going in there with a nasty, noisy mower. A natural meadow needs gentle treatment! (Business idea there Joel!)
I know exactly what you mean :) I do have an ancient scythe that is regularly maintained and sharp, but of course it does take way longer than an agri-mower and the "silence" of the scythe can mean that creatures don't hear it coming, whereas with the agri it is noisier of course and creates a level of vibration meaning it gives a certain amount of warning :) Much as I love using the scythe, I certainly wouldn't be able (or fit enough!) to cater for all the client meadows I have to throughout September and into October if it was by hand, but on smaller jobs I use the scythe - I'll be sure to upload a video on how best to use this ancient practice :) Best wishes, Joel
I just bartered a scythe from a neighbor and cut a lot of canadian goldenrod, annual fleabane and other invasive species covering a newly rented part of land. It was a lot of fun!
My thoughts too. It needs cutting quietly!
Thanks for the vid. What do you do with the cut. What's a good way if getting rid of about an acre of top cut
Wonderful meadow. I found out that if you cut the grass more often in more fertile areas you can still get some flowers blooming, especially the early spring ones. Red dead-nettle, garden violet, some veronica species. And you take with the cuts more fertility away. What do you think?
I gradually nibble away my front lawn meadow starting on the outer margin in June and taking a bit more every couple of weeks or so until the autumn. My final cut of long vegetation is usually in September or October. I do this with a little electric lawn mower. I then continue mowing
...as per a normal garden lawn into November.
That's great David, leaving areas as you go is the best way to ensure that there is continued habitat :) Best wishes - Joel
Very very interesting. Are we mimicing natural grazing? And therefore rotating the zones we don't through each winter. Sort of micro holistic management like that of Allan Savory?
Absolutely Daniel - I know Allan's theories are sometimes controversial, but I do feel that holistic is the best management of so many things :)
Hi Joel thanks for another informative video. We’re in the first year of establishing wildflowers into existing sward in our garden in Suffolk. Plenty of young yellow rattle plants are already showing (about 1-2 inches high) and grass is also growing back at about a similar height. It is now early April. I’m wondering if the grass gets any longer if we should give it a mow on a high blade setting to try to resist grass growth and give the young flowers beneath a helping hand. However I’m concerned that doing so could also damage any faster growing flowers by topping them before that have had chance to establish. Do you have any advice on mowing in the first year of establishment from your experience? Cheers Rob
Hi Rob - you are very welcome :) My only concern with mowing early in the season is potentially knocking back the yellow rattle plants, which are of course annual so you'll want them to flower to produce seed from this year's crop - which in time should work it's way through the meadow and reduce the vigour of the grasses. If there are areas where you know there is definitely no yellow rattle you could mow these for the next 4-6 weeks and then leave to flower as this should also help lessen the vigour of the grasses. Hope this helps - best wishes, Joel
Excellent advice, cutting depends on so many factors, not the least of which is the size of the meadow, I find that I leave cutting until the last of the Scabious have gone over, and here that is just into October, but even then I leave 50% of the meadow uncut on alternate years, I find that gives everything a chance, the big question of course is whether or not to remove the cuttings? With the tall rank grass areas I think using a cutter bar mower, (Allen Scythe), to avoid mulch, and removing the cuttings for compost elsewhere is the best answer, but you do need a large acreage to make that viable, so different approaches for each area of the meadow, but only through time can we establish what is best for each area, even with the very best management we can be caught out by other factors, like the late frost this year, that appears to have had a deleterious effect on all of our butterflies ,although things have picked up a bit now, very late in the season. Stay safe! Chris B.
You've explained this so well Chris, thank you :) Great advice as always too. Same lack of numbers of butterflies this side too unfortunately - definitely saw fewer this year :/ Best wishes as always - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton At least you have good numbers of Small Tortoiseshell this year, I have not seen a single one, even our Large Blue are a month late in the meadow, I only hope it does not mean reduced numbers for next year, we usually have a lot of Clouded Yellow flying now, but there are very few this year. Chris B.
@@453421abcdefg12345 Yes re the Small Tortoiseshell, I stopped over in Grange-over-Sands/Morecambe way when travelling back from Scotland and the hotel had wonderful grounds, many buddleia that were absolutely covered in them, along with Red Ads and Whites. I was thinking the same about the impact next year... we can only wait and see I guess :/ Best wishes - Joel
When do you cut the patches that you’ve left over winter? March?
Yeah, I had this problem last year from experimenting with allowing my grass to grow: looked fantastic in July seeing the grass seed heads casting their glistening silver seeds into the wind as the sun set. Then come August it started to fall over, ending up a hay colour through out the winter suffocating everything below. Come spring I had no other option than to cut it because it hadn't decayed into the soil as I had hoped.
Whereas at the front I tried to keep the grass two inches long, giving it a regular mow every two weeks and then sweeping the cuttings evenly over the area: it's now covered in clover giving it a greener, healthier look which I love.
So although us humans might have a romantic view of nature being able to take care of itself alone, intelligent well thought out human intervention works better: So I'll be cutting the long grass over September then sweeping the clippings back into the area in the hope it'll have a better chance of getting absorbed back into the soil via fungi/bacterial breakdown.
Hi there :) Sorry for the delay - been out meadow-cutting for a good while now. Cutting at 2 inches is great for a nectar lawn, agreed re human intervention but do remove your clippings from the area cut in September, they can be placed at the side of the meadow as refuge for other creatures, but left in place they will of course add nutrients which results in the longer grass. Hope you and yours are doing ok :) Best wishes, Joel
Hi Joel, our meadow is still in full bloom with wild carrot.what is your advice on dock plants remove or leave them please?
Best wishes
Hi there! Sorry for delay - rather hectic this side :) They do spread a little but do leave a few as they are the secondary larval food plant for the Small Copper butterfly - hope you're both doing well - best wishes as always - Joel
The problem with leaving the meadow uncut until September or later is that the grasses (and other plants) will have to much time to store nutrients for the next year, wich will give them advantage over smaller more delicate plants. Plus in the old days they usually had animals grazing after the hay cut and that removed more nutrients. It's, in my opinion, better to cut it early, like second half of July, and leave species rich patches uncut until September. Also a second cut is important so that the sun reaches the ground in the spring for new seeds to grow. If it's a lot dead grass left in the spring it's a good thing to burn it off. Cutting the meadow in traditional times is best for getting the meadow as species rich in flowers as possible, though it's not very good for insects. It is tricky as you say.
Admittedly, I haven't cut my grass since March 2020🙄😝 But because it's been left to become a meadow, of sorts again, we've had Frogs again this year!! and so many Beetles, Moths, and other winged creatures, even the occasional Dragonfly😄 Now it's the Spiders turn - I counted 62 webs, all occupied and in less than 10 minutes👍🏼 However, because the garden is only small I do it by hand with shears and I have a manual push along mower. There's still Herb Robert blooming and many more Blackberry flowers to bloom too. I also found a lone and last Dandelion at the beginning of August😲
Would you say it's OK to cut the really long grasses down to about 1.5 ft and just leave it??
This video is really helpful, thank you.
Can I ask whether you clear the cut material or leave it to degrade in situ?
Hi Hilary..I started a large wildlife meadow about 12 years ago and you always need to remove the cut material (I usually leave my 1-3 days to dry and let a lot of seeds and insects drop to the ground) as if you leave it to decompose it adds lots of nutrients to the meadow which is exactly what you are trying to avoid in a wildflower meadow as nutrients encouraging strong grasses which strangle/smother any wildflowers..the more infertile the soil the better (Yellow Rattle as shown by Joel really helps to weaken the root systems of those grasses as well). nb I made a YT video about my meadow project thats at czcams.com/video/YHtPPFDcrE0/video.html if of interest.
@@nigelmorley8092 thank you, can you recommend how to remove it as mine is too large to do by hand? I will definitely look at your project, thank you 😃
@@hilarylathrope5446 As my area is about 3 acres I get a local contractor who cuts (with a tractor and cutting deck) and he bales it and takes it away about 2-3 days later..obviously that involves some cost (c £400) ...small areas most people strim then rake and take cuttings away but often the cuttings can be quite bulky so I do know people who have a quiet corner where each year they burn it but that's not feasible for some and not very "green" as destroys the ground nearby/smoke pollution/fire risk needs to be monitored etc ...Alternatively find a quiet corner and simply leave it to rot down in a big heap..great for grass snakes/slowworms but again the bigger the area the bigger the heap will be so lot depends on your area size and whats feasible in your location..hope that helps a bit !
@@nigelmorley8092 I guess that’s what I need to do. Was it costly?
Just need a rough idea. It’s a new project for me.
Hi Hilary - have to agree with Nigel here, including not burning it! It's best to leave it for a few days as Nigel says, that way creatures/insects can find the unmown areas (I always leave unmown areas so there is still refuge and habitat) aside from leaving the seed to drop before you collect it, bringing more flowers the following year :) Some people, particularly those with small-holdings, will happily take the cut hay which can of course prove beneficial to all. Best wishes - Joel
What’s the best method of cutting the meadow Joel.
Hi there George - I'd say a scythe for smaller areas of course (I have an ancient one that is still strong, and still sharp) or if it's small enough then a pair of shears can do an effective job, it also allows you to see closer and to see what you may be "disturbing", there's also the highest cut level on a general mower if you can get at least 3 inches clearance and of course if you're able (and the wife is in agreement!) then do leave some unmown patches so that smaller creatures/insects etc have some refuge throughout winter :) Best wishes, as always - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Thank you for the kind reply Joel. All understood with your advice 👌🏻🙂
@@george-1961 You're very welcome, as always :)
I have a new garden to cut. 6.5 acres in total but I'm only going to cut 2 ish, I think. Lots of nettles too. It's full of frogs and I would hate to mow through it. Maybe I've less chance of slicing them up if I get a scythe.
But then what to do with it all once it's cut?
Hi Jamie - it's "nicer" doing it with a scythe of course but it will take a fair amount of time to use this method over 2 acres, but it would certainly keep you fit! I have a lot of clients to serve throughout September and into October so I'm grateful that I have my own machinery to cater for this, it also keeps costs and time down. But if you have the time.... :) Re what to do with the cuttings, some small-holders will take hay for their livestock and will be grateful for it, so that can be more than cost effective, particularly if it is such a large area and results in lots of cuttings - best wishes - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton thanks Joel. Appreciated.
Just trying to mow the meadow September on my wildlife trust site .i have to be honest its virtually impossible to mow all the flowers and grasses have rotted and are lying down the only thing s we could mow with scythes were the Knapweed and Fleabane we will be mowing in July next year
Hey Ronnie, sorry for the delay. It of course all depends on soil type with how much growth you get, and this affects when the meadow starts "flopping over" - if you haven't already then do try sowing yellow-rattle, it will keep the grasses in check eventually - try to find solace in the fact that a lot of larvae and other creatures will be hunkering down in those long grasses over winter. Best wishes, and keep me updated - Joel
@@WildYourGardenWithJoelAshton Yes sowed rattle on my meadow doing very well cut it in latye July ..the wildlife trust one is a bit different has always been cut by machine and not much soil underneath bit of a long story really but we scythed the grass about 3 weeks ago as the new manager didnt want to use machinery and bring back traditional methods working a bit probably better next year hopefully personally i think any meadow cut by machinery or Scythe is good anyway cheers
@@casper1240 Thanks Ronnie - if I'm ever in the area would love to see it and possibly advise - keep in touch :)
cap = cape
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Among those who worshiped at the first chapel were sailors, giving thanks to Good Saint Anne for narrow escapes from drowning.
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My late uncle died 2 days ago, he in his teenage day has saved a female distant relative from drowning at Kampung Datuk Keramat.
Why not cut half one year then cut the other half then next year.
Hi Randy - utmost apologies for the delay in responding, I don't seem to be getting all the notifications re comments and am having to trawl the videos to ensure I'm acknowledging everyone. However, back to the meadow, absolutely you could, it would provide more habitat and over-wintering places too :) Best wishes - Joel
None of this matters if people don’t shift to a plant based diet. How long are we going to keep devoting the majority of the land to animals raised for food when only 4% of creatures on the planet are wildlife. We are in a crisis!
I say u r completely wrong about a shift in plant based diet we just need to lower the amount of meat we consume in a week or month and so on.
The natural human diet is about 70/80% plants and the rest of meat as the hunter gatherers never eat meat everyday as hunting would take to many calories to do it everyday.
If u care about the planet u will realise that we need large herbivores to graze and trample the ground creating more room to grow and more life under the ground as it will be getting air rated by nature but farming in mass isn’t good at all.
We need to find the middle ground and think a cut down on meat is the way forward
@@donniwoodland4369 36% of mammals on the earth presently are human, 60% are domesticated animals, and 4% are wildlife. Our present system of eating animal products is upsetting the balance, causing pollution to air, land and waterways. Causing deforestation, ocean dead zones and biodiversity loss. One cannot argue against facts. What has hunter gathering got to do with it when we buy our food in a supermarket?
Humans don’t need to eat meat to be healthy. Watch ‘The Gamechangers’, ‘What the Health’, ‘Eating our way to Extinction’, ‘The twin Experiment’.