Few of the herbs in
meadows are dependent on whether the meadow is cut or is grazed. Yellow-rattle (Rhinanthus
minor) is one of the few plants which is sensitive to the type of management. This
plant is an annual species which is semi-parasitic on the roots
of other plants, especially grasses. Hay making favours distribution of its seeds and it
is therefore likely to be more widely distributed in fields which are commonly cut for
hay. Grazing, rather than hay making, will tend to limit its spread.
Clovers are important components of hay fields because they are legumes and are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen in nodules in
their roots. This adds relatively small quantities of nitrogen to the soil for use by
other plants. Because legumes have their own nitrogen source, their foliage also tends to
contain more protein than most grass foliage. This increases the value of the hay as a
feed for cattle.
The humble Stinging Nettle is another valuable, often overlooked,
component of hay meadows. They are important food plants for several butterflies,
including Peacocks and Red Admirals. With the modern drive for tidiness, nettles are often
in short supply, particularly as butterflies may have specific requirements as to the
position of the nettles and the amount of sunlight they receive. Without suitable food
plants for the caterpillars, the butterfly populations will inevitably decline.
Wet, or Water Meadows
Soil conditions in wet meadows are quite different to those in dry
hay meadows. Poor drainage, or periodic flooding results in saturated soils at some or all
times of the year. The air content of these saturated soils is low because all the soil
spaces are taken up with water. Plants growing in these areas therefore need to be species
which are tolerant of such conditions. As a result of the differences in the soil
substrate, the plant communities of wet meadows are substantially different to those in
hay meadows.
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