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As follows is a more detailed description of
the herbs we supply for our horse paddocks.
Apply ad 0.5 to 1 kilos to the acre.
Chicory
This is a fast growing biennial( that is if
flowers every other year0. It has bright blue
daisy shaped flowers. It grows best generally
on light soils such as chalk or gravel.
Chicory is deep rooting which can help the soil
structure.
The leaves are rich in inulin, fructose and
choline. Chicory struggles when there is to
much fertiliser. For an image of chicory click
on the link below
Chicory Cichorium intybus
Sheep’s burnet
Burnet is noted to have excellent forage value
for livestock and wildlife during all seasons.
It stays green throughout the growing season
and into winter providing forage and seed to
livestock and wildlife.
It is a hardy long lived evergreen does best on
well drained soils.
Sheeps Burnet
Sheep’s Parsley
This is very palatable but not very persistent
under heavy grazing.
Click on the link below for an image
Sheep’s parsley Petroselinum
crispum
Ribgrass Ribwort Plantain
This perennial is rich in minerals especially
potassium, calcium and sulphur.
If the grass is not well managed it can take
over . Contains a lot of moisture in its leaves
so a lot in field will reduce the quality of
hay.
Ribgrass Plantago Lanceolata
Yarrow
Yarrow thrives on the poorest and driest soils.
But it will also do well on those which are
heavy and wet. It is thought that horses like
the taste of yarrow and if it is present in a
field it will encourage horses to eat other
grasses as well. It also has medicinal
properties.
Yarrow Achillea Millefolium
Sainfoin
Particularly suited to well drained soils in
warmer dry climates. It will fail on cold wet
soils. It has deep roots and improves the
palatability and digestibility of the ley.
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