Not all meadows are the same: depending on the composition of the soil and use, the various meadows differ greatly in terms of the plants that grow on them. After all, grazing animals cannot thrive on every meadow, and different care guidelines also apply. What is right for a lean meadow can be harmful for a rich meadow.
What is a fat meadow?
A fat meadow is, as the name suggests, a meadow with "fat" - ergo nutrient-rich - soil. The soil is characterized by a high nitrogen content, which allows fast-growing grasses and flowers to thrive. For this reason, strong-competitive plants can be found on a fat meadow, which, due to their rapid growth, crowd out other, more sensitive plants. This means that the Fettwiese is one of the rather species-poor biotopes. This type of meadow can be found in regions where the landscape is heavily used - on the one hand because the fertilizer applied via precipitation and groundwater also feeds meadows that have not been fertilized and on the other hand because many farmers use meadows as pastures and therefore - adapted to the needs of the grazing animals - fertilize them in a targeted manner.
Typical plants of a fat meadow
Rich meadows can be recognized by three typical flowers, because daisies, dandelions and various types of clover thrive on the nutrient-rich soil. In early summer, these meadows can be recognized from afar by their bright yellow color when the dandelions are in bloom. The white (and by the way very tasty) daisies, on the other hand, thrive better the more often the meadow is mowed. Furthermore, fast-growing grasses such as cocksfoot, ryegrass, ryegrass as well as smooth and golden oats can be found. Other typical plants are:
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
- Field dog chamomile (Anthemis arvensis)
- Meadow Bellflower (Campanula patula)
- Common knapweed (Centaurea jacea)
- Meadow daisy (Leucanthemum ircutianum)
- Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
- Greater Sorrel (Rumex acetosa)
such as
- Bluegrass (Alopecurus)
- Common sweet grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum)
- and the meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis) .
Fat meadow often serves as cattle pasture
The high nutrient content of a fat meadow ensures that the plants growing on it are very rich in protein and therefore optimal for feeding certain grazing animals - especially cattle. For this reason, fat meadows are specially fertilized to serve as pasture for cattle. Dairy cows in particular benefit from this, because the fatter the pasture, the creamier the milk. In addition, the meadow is mowed at least three times a year to make hay for the winter. However, the fat meadow is not suitable for every grazing animal. A horse's organism, for example, is completely overwhelmed by the high protein content - as steppe animals, horses tend to need meager meadows. Sheep, on the other hand, can graze on fat meadows provided they are given sufficient roughage (i.e. fibrous grass).
Maintain fat meadow
Rich meadows must be mowed at least three times a year, as the plants growing on them are very fast-growing. Alternatively, however, such a meadow can also be used as pasture, which in turn has the simultaneous advantage of natural fertilization - cow and sheep manure ensures that the necessary nutrients are returned to the soil. Since the typical oil meadow plants are very consuming and withdraw nutrients from the soil, oil meadows must be fertilized regularly - otherwise the soil becomes emaciated. Fertilization can be carried out with artificial or natural fertilizers (e.g. liquid manure).
tips and tricks
If you discover certain indicator plants for acidic soil (such as sorrel, field weevil or countless daisies), you should lime your meadow either in spring or in autumn.
IJA