When reseeding grass, weed problems come into roughly two categories: –

1. After arable crops (mainly cereals) the weeds are likely to be:

• Redshank
• Daynettle
• Charlock
• Furnitory
• Chickweed
• Corn spurrey

These are annuals and can easily be controlled by topping them at an appropriate stage or by mob-stocking. Once they have been suitably suppressed by either of the above techniques, they should disappear, and the grass/clover prevails thereafter.

When sowing grass after arable crops (August/ early September) there is much less of a weed burden at this time of year as many of the annuals only germinate in the spring and autumn sown grass generally gets off to a comparatively weed free start.

2. After grass or forage crop the weeds are likely to be: –

• Spear Thistle
• Creeping Thistle
• Chickweed
• Dockens

These are more difficult to control and spraying with herbicide is the most effective way to control the above. This being the case, the clover component of the mixture can be omitted at reseeding and once effective weed control has been carried out the clover can be scratched into the young grass sward. CAST coated clover (exclusive to Watson Seeds) is particularly effective in this situation.