Hi Louisa

This is very weird. In the UK Yorkshire fog is rather a well-loved fodder crop for sheep and cattle (don’t know about horses), and is an important part of hay crops. It certainly doesn’t have deep roots, and I think you’re right that it doesn’t grow with stolons or tillers. I wonder if maybe youre fighting a different species? I’m far from an expert on grasses, but you could get in touch with the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland https://bsbi.org/contact-us who may be able to point you in the right direction for academic research on root depths? Sorry not to be more use, Yours Lizzie

I live in Virginia (USA) and have a small farm for equids & cattle (sometimes). We consider this an invasive species because it is not grazed by horses or cattle. I have fought Yorkshire fog hard for 2 years in succession and hope you can advise me as to the root depth. Some papers indicate it is deep; however, in my grubbing, using a grub hoe, and taking out 3-4 inches of soil with it, I have found no evidence of roots at any significant depth per se. I see tillers but do not observe stolons (it can grow sideways though). I often find YF grows in what I would term grass litter/duff on the pasture floor. Does ANY scientific paper indicate the root depth of this grass? I can send you hundreds of image if you think I am barking up the wrong tree so to speak. Thank you, Louisa

Hi Malcolm

Thanks so much, Im glad you enjoyed my blog. I know, the minute details of grasses is so exciting! Not sure why the vernal grass doesnt smell for you – maybe try drying it out, then take a sniff?

Thanks!

Hi Alison, thanks so much for your kind comments. I love that youre doing id from horse hay – nothing lie making a job challenging for yourself! Start by seeing if you can spot easy ones, like rye grass or timothy grass and work up from that. Good luck! I think it sounds like a great project!

Hi Derek

Not sure where youre based, but if you are in the Uk you could do worse than buy the BSBI book to identifying grasses by Tom Cope and Alan Grey. You could also invest in the pretty straight forward FSC guide https://www.field-studies-council.org/shop/publications/grasses-guide/ (alas, not with my illustrations; before my time and extremely good). Another option is to get in touch with your local wildlife trust who may come and do a species study for you, if they’re interested in what’s there? Or look up your “county botanical recorder”, they may be able to help as well.

Thanks for the question
Yours
Lizzie