Grassland Management
Grassland and Pastureland Management Machinery
There are many types of Grassland. The one that most readily comes to mind is the traditional ‘Meadow’. However, sports ground and horse paddocks are also types of grassland and all need to be properly maintained.
Grassland Management Tools
Heming Engineering understand that each type of grassland requires different tools. We have over 50 years of experience and access to a huge range of farming technology.
Our Experienced Technicians Are Here to Help You
Whether you have a hay field, a sports field or a menage, we can find the right grass cutting tools for you, at the right price.
Regular lawn mowers cannot cope with long or ‘heavy’ grass or scrub, so the powered flail mower is the answer. Some versions are self-powered. Others are attached to 4*4’s or ATV Quad bikes. In most instances, though, a tractor is used, and here they can be placed at the front or rear and set to work ‘offset’ or ‘inline’, to suit the work in hand.
This is one of those questions that may well be crossing your mind, the often-bewildering range and type of mowers makes it difficult to choose the right one. Which is best for your application? Well as the name suggests, Topper mowers just take the tops of any vegetation off, which can be all that is needed. They are also cheaper than the flail variant, but do not have the same versatility. Best to talk to an expert before deciding.
The flail mower is so called as it uses special types of metal mower blades, called flails (also called knives or hammers by some manufactures). These are attached to a rotating horizontal drum. The Rows of flails are usually arranged in a staggered pattern, which gives a continuous cut, whilst reducing mechanical wear to the minimum.
They are especially useful if the ground is uneven, or when there is likely to be any large objects in the mowing area, as when a flail hits an immovable object it will just bounce off, and not, like a rotary mower try to ‘throw’ the object from the mower deck. This can be extremely dangerous in some instances (such as roadside mowing), which makes choosing a flail mower the best decision in some circumstances.
Our range of hedge cutters cater for large and small farmers, we have the Orsi range of hedge cutters for the agricultural and large landscape contractors, for uses such as hedges over ditches and high hedges that often encroach on headlands and impede the machines whilst they try to gather crop from the edges. We have a range of long reach and shorter reach machines for all types of farms and gardens. Our smaller reach machines come from our small tractor supplier Siromer.
Besides their use in the forestry arena, caged rotor models are used for heavy reclamation work, to create or clear firebreaks. As well as under power lines or besides railways, mainly because they do not fling objects about, which is vital in such circumstances.
Some areas, while not being grassland, still require the use of a flail mower, but one on a smaller scale. These ‘inter-row’ mowers are especially useful for landscaping works, and can be used around trees, fence posts, solar panels and in vineyards and orchards. There are even versions for use in gardens and amenity areas, becoming extremely useful when a conventional rotary or other type of lawn mower would be unable to cope with the terrain.
We hold a large range of spares for all types of flail mowers, be they self-propelled, or one of the many flail tractor mower attachments in use today.
Field rollers are another excellent agricultural tool, suitable for pasture and paddock management and maintenance. These field rollers can be used on a variety of terrain, small or large fields, parkland and sports fields, horse arenas and paddocks, as well as other types of agricultural ground.
There are many ways by which these help with grassland management, some are listed below: -
- Field rollers helps to firm up ground, encouraging the pasture and grass, whilst also discouraging any weeds from germinating.
- By keeping the ground more even it can prevent damage to other equipment that is used.
- Mole hills are flattened, this helping to keep sports fields in top condition.
- Paddock rollers also flatten the ground, pushing any stones into the soil whilst also preventing potholes.
A Note on Meadows and Wildlife Management
Meadows have been in existence since the Iron Age when farmers used them to produce hay to feed livestock in the winter. Things changed in the 20th Century of course, fields now being set to produce silage.
Today there is a drive to ensure that Nature is given some help on the UK’s farmland. In these instances, more ‘natural’ forms of management are recommended. Grazing is the best way of ensuring that any grassland does not turn into scrub or woodland. Cattle are the best animal to graze here, but sheep and horses can also be used. All these natural methods require a degree of management and have their own set of drawbacks. However, if creating a natural grassland is your aim these methods are the best.
Ideal for regular Field and Paddock Maintenance
Paddock rollers are useful for farmers, smallholders, land and estate owners and especially equestrian users where potholes and stones can be a real danger.
Field rollers can be used all through the year, firming the soil after topping or harrowing or levelling the ground after seed planting or harrowing. They are also especially useful in improving the look of lawns, sports grounds and other areas set aside for public use.
You don’t need a tractor either, as Field rollers can be towed with and ATV farm quad or 4x4 if used with a ball hitch. You will need a pin hitch if you want to use a tractor though. In some cases, you can even increase the weight – and thus the ability to flatten more difficult terrain - by filling with water.
Other types of lawn / ground management tools are also available. The Sorrel roller attachment is especially useful. They can break up that tough crust that forms on compacted soil, whilst the spikes penetrate the surface allowing air, nutrients, and water to seep into the ground more easily.
Whatever your needs our 50 years of experience is at your disposal. Call us and let us demonstrate just how much we can help you.
Our service-centre is conveniently located in Willersey, near Broadway, on the Worcestershire-Gloucestershire border, this allowing us to support our many customers in the Three Counties and the Cotswolds.
All of This Means We Can Help YOU - Call Us Today
