How does an arable field change over a single growing season after a seed mixture is sown in March? We followed its development from soil preparation through to September, documenting the changes each month.
As part of the LIFE FOR SEEDS project, this spring we carried out our final restoration of a grassland area using a seed mixture. This time, we restored an arable field in Budinci, which forms part of a farm complex recently acquired by Goričko Landscape Park.
We decided to transform the arable field into grassland because the Landscape Park aims to focus the management of the land under its care primarily on the conservation and restoration of grasslands. Species-rich grasslands are an important part of the characteristic Goričko landscape and provide habitats for numerous plants, pollinators and other animals. On this site, our aim is to establish a colourful, species-rich dry grassland that will also be able to provide good-quality fodder for livestock in the future.
For this restoration, we were able to use a seed mixture that we still had in stock. And so, in March, a new story began.
March – soil preparation and sowing
Before sowing, the arable field had to be properly prepared. We mechanically cultivated the soil, creating an open surface suitable for sowing.
The seed mixture was then sown by hand. After sowing, we rolled the surface to press the seeds into the soil and improve their contact with it.
Our work was then done for the time being. From that point onwards, the weather, the soil and the seeds themselves were in charge. Suitable temperatures and sufficient moisture were particularly important for successful germination.
April – the first signs of life
Just one month after sowing, we spotted the first plants emerging from the soil. Young vegetation was beginning to appear among the still largely bare patches of ground.
At first glance, not much seemed to have happened. However, the first green shoots were an important sign that the seeds had begun to germinate and that the restoration of the site was truly under way.
May – the field turns green
By May, the change was much more obvious. The surface quickly turned green, and the bare soil gradually disappeared beneath the young vegetation.
In just two months, the appearance of the field had changed considerably. Although the vegetation was still very young, the surface was already beginning to take on the characteristics of grassland vegetation.
June – the surface increasingly resembles grassland
Three months after sowing, the surface was lush and green. The difference compared with March was striking – instead of prepared soil, we were now looking at a young vegetated surface.
This was not yet a species-rich grassland. Such a grassland cannot become established in just a few months. Nevertheless, the first step had been taken, and the surface was beginning to develop a new character.
July – the first cleansing cut
In July, we carried out the first cleansing cut. Restoring grassland involves more than simply sowing a seed mixture. Appropriate ongoing management is also important for creating favourable conditions for the development of grassland plants.
After cutting, the surface looked quite different. But this was simply another step in the development of the young grassland.
August – the meadow blooms again
After cutting, the vegetation began to grow again. By August, the surface was beginning to look more like grassland, with flowers appearing among the greenery.
Among other plants, we observed oxeye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare), which flowered again after the cut. The surface was becoming more colourful and varied.
September – the first season is over
Now, in September, approximately six months have passed since sowing. When we compare the site with the photograph taken in March, the change is striking. Back then, we were looking at a prepared arable field with bare soil; today, we see a green surface where different grasses, herbs and some flowering plants can still be observed.
But a closer look at the young grassland reveals something else, too. The soil still contains a seed bank from the period when the site was an arable field. As a result, alongside the plants we aimed to introduce through the seed mixture, plants characteristic of the field’s previous use are also appearing. Among them is muhvič, which is considered an agricultural and grassland weed.
The presence of such plants during the first season is therefore not surprising. Grassland restoration is a process in which the composition of the vegetation and the balance between individual species will gradually change over time. Through appropriate management, we aim to create conditions in which grassland plants characteristic of species-rich dry grasslands can gradually become established.
The first step has been taken
Seven months are enough to bring about a very visible change in the appearance of the site, but not enough for an arable field to become a fully developed species-rich grassland. Grassland habitat restoration is a long-term process. Plants need time to establish themselves, flower and reproduce, while a more diverse plant community gradually develops.
The story of this field therefore does not end in September. We will continue to manage the site appropriately and monitor its development.
In March, we were looking at an arable field with bare soil. In September, we are looking at a young grassland. What will grow here in the years to come remains to be seen – and we will continue to follow its development.
