I would like to pick your collective brains on the most effective way of levelling an uneven sward that we are responsible for on our new property.
The area I am looking at is about 750m2 of former paddock and it was used by horses until the end of 2016.
Since it is deep clay soil they have left deep holes all over it from the weight of their hooves on the wet clay in the winters. It is covered by moss, grass and mixed low flowering stuff with sparse rushes and is now inside my new fence line.
During 2017 I mowed it with a mulching mower when the weather permitted and the sward has thickened considerably once it was no longer being grazed or trodden on. The rushes have reduced too. It is in significantly better condition than the other side of the fence which is still badly trodden clay with poor grass due to the presence of the horses.
The issue is not what my 750m2 is covered in - I am happy for the mixed sward to remain - it is the uneven surface. This makes it hard to mow because the mower front wheels drop down into the hoof holes and the blade bogs down on the grass and moss.
I am considering the following to remedy the surface...
EITHER very heavy top dressing with sand and light soil and waiting for the grass to grow through. This would require a vast quantity of material to be delivered and spread...
OR rotavate the heck out of it for the whole of this season (yes, I have a two-wheel tractor with large rotavator) and then reseed the entire surface in "flowering lawn mix" very late in the autumn.
OR just leave it, struggling with the mower until hopefully the sward thickens so much it closes the gaps over the holes.
If I decide to rotavate it, I do have two questions for the horsey types among us. Given that the paddock on the other side of the fence is in active use by horses I would assume that using any form of herbicide on my portion would be totally out of the question, yes? Also, what would be the likely response of the paddock owner if I were to sow Yellow Rattle to help weaken my side?
We are under no time constraints at all here and I would rather do it right.
Opinions please?