Rolling

Paddock and field rolling

Rolling presses a heavy roller over grassland to smooth out hoof prints, ruts and frost-lifted ground. It gives a firmer, level surface that is safer to ride and graze on and easier to mow.

What’s involved

A tractor tows a heavy roller across the field. A flat roller gives a smooth finish; a ring roller (often called a Cambridge roll) has ridged rings that firm the soil while leaving a slightly textured surface, which is often used after seeding.

Rolling pushes stones down out of the way of mowers, flattens poaching and pockmarks left by hooves over winter, and firms soil that frost has lifted, so grass roots are back in contact with the soil.

It is not a fix for badly compacted or waterlogged fields. Rolling adds weight at the surface; if the problem is compaction deeper down, rolling can make it worse.

When to do it

Spring is the time, usually March to April, when the soil is moist enough to be pressed flat but firm enough that the roller doesn’t sink or smear. The grass should be starting to grow so it recovers quickly.

Timing is the whole job. Too wet and you compact and smear the surface, squeezing the air out of the soil; too dry and hard, and the roller rides over the bumps without shifting them. If a boot heel leaves a clean print without water pooling, conditions are about right.

Good to know

Harrow first, then roll. Harrowing levels molehills and drags out dead grass; rolling then firms everything down.

Don’t roll frosty or waterlogged ground. It damages the grass and compacts the soil.

Fields that stay wet and poached every winter may have a drainage or compaction problem that rolling won’t solve — sub-soiling or mole ploughing may be worth looking at.

Rolling: common questions

When should you roll a paddock?

In spring, usually March or April, when the ground is moist but not wet and the grass is starting to grow. Rolling too early on wet ground compacts it; too late and the ground is hard and the bumps won’t flatten.

Does rolling a field help the grass?

It can. Rolling firms soil that frost has lifted so roots are back in contact with it, and it encourages grass to tiller and thicken. The main benefit, though, is a level surface that is safer for horses and easier to mow.

Can rolling cause compaction?

Yes, if it’s done on wet ground or too often. The roller squeezes air out of the soil, which harms grass roots and drainage. Roll only when the ground is at the right moisture and only when there’s a surface problem to fix.

Often booked alongside

Harrowing — Break up thatch, spread muck, level the surface.

Overseeding — Repair thin or worn paddocks with fresh seed.

Sub-soiling — Compacted ground broken up so water drains and roots go down.

Paddock topping — Rough grass and thistles cut back before turn-out or in the autumn.