Grassland Management & Enhancement

Managing meadows and other grasslands

Traditionally, hay meadows are typically ‘shut up’ for hay (livestock is excluded) for several weeks over much of the spring and summer, and, after cutting, the fields are aftermath grazed.  After cutting, the hay is turned at least once a day to allow the crop to dry. This process typically takes about three days and allows seeds to drop onto the soil.

The cutting and removal of the arisings prevents both a dense ‘thatch’ establishing and nutrients from building up in the soil, thus benefitting the wildflowers that thrive in the poorer soils we associate with meadows.

Some grasslands are only grazed (which can be the preferred option traditionally for calcareous and acid grassland), and some are just cut for hay and some are managed with both grazing and cutting.

Tools used for cutting grasslands range from large-scale mowers to the humble scythe

Key aims for grassland management

• reduce or maintain lower soil nutrient levels – on fertile sites, competitive grasses dominate and smother wildflowers.

• prevent succession to scrub and woodland habitats – if left unmanaged for several years and seedlings or suckers’ growth is left unchecked, a grassland will start to develop into scrub habitat
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• maintain or enhance structure – some grassland habitats benefit from having a mix of longer and shorter areas for different invertebrates, and should be managed as such  
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• maintain or enhance floristic diversity – a wider range of flowers and grasses will appeal to a broader range of species (to a point)

Most communities will only be able to cut grassland areas, however there will be some exceptions...

Meadow at St Mary's Fields Kidlington before being cut by volunteers 

Key considerations when enancing, creating or managing grassland...

Grasslands with high nutrient content
Often these grasslands need more management to prevent them turning to scrub / woodland. Scrub will usually have plants which have a competitive advantage such as coarse grasses and species which are considered as ‘weeds’, such as creeping thistle, bramble and nettle. Scrub management is usually necessary on calcareous grassland to prevent it taking over, although pockets of scrubland are a key component for calcareous landscapes and bring all the wildlife benefits of mosaic habitats.

- What conditions do you have already? – This will determine the management needed so find out find out what’s already there i.e. the type of soil, species mix, seed bed, neighbouring habitats, and even the water content of the site.

- Consider the practical aspects of management - the cost, time, resources, size of plot, how hard is it to change what’s already there?

- Adaptability – there isn’t usually a magic wand approach to grassland management! Be prepared for there to be different options and methods depending on the site and what you want to achieve

- Consider how the site will be used by the community – this may also change the management approach and aims for the site

Grassland enhancement

Sowing wildflower seeds
Seed mixes that are suited to different soil types can be purchased from reputable suppliers, and sown to add new species. Typically this is carried out in the spring or autumn, and the ground needs to be prepared by sacrificing or rotovating before sowing to ensure the seeds reach bare soil. Green hay can also be used as a seed source.

Sourcing seeds
We always recommend sourcing seeds that are of British native provenance, even better if they have been collected from a local site with similar underlying geology, climate and other environmental conditions (especially important for sensitive or protected sites) – do check to see if there’s anything exotic in your flower mixes that may be detrimental to surrounding habitats, and ask our Community Ecology team if you’re not sure what’s best to plant where.  

Some British-based seed suppliers include: 
·       Charles Flower
·        Cotswold Grass seeds
·        Emorsgate Seeds
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Plug planting
Plants grown in pots or plugs can be transplanted into a meadow - this method is good for adding wildflowers which are hard to germinate. Bear in mind that not all grassland is suitable for plug planting -it should only be used as a supplementary method of sward enhancement. Plug planting is usually more expensive and time consuming than other methods.

Oversowing yellow rattle
Yellow rattle is a native annual wildflower, which parasitises and reduces the vigour and biomass of dominant grasses and legumes and allows a wider range of wildflowers to flourish. Although not suitable for all sites (such as very fertile areas),with the right management it can improve grassland diversity in the longer term.

Celebrate all grasslands!

Remember that all grasslands are important and have their role in Nature Recovery. Not every space is appropriate for wildflower meadows but that doesn’t mean that other types of grassland shouldn’t be considered or appreciated.

a)     If you’re just starting out – use the community guide to help you get started
b)     Find out what you’ve already got
c)     Use the resources section for more detail on grassland management
d)     If you still need help, get in touch with us for grassland management advice – we may ask for a donation to cover our Community Ecologists time depending on what you need.