Drilling recommendations for conversion from rowcrop

[rttmat]

Hello everyone,

We have a small farm purchased 4 years ago and for a number of years (before we bought it) the farm ground has been leased with a rotation of soybeans and corn being grown. This year I'm not leasing the fields and going to plant grass/hay (30% alfalfa).

I have access to no-till drill (Marliss) and the seed I'm probably going to buy is mixed as follows:

•30% Sunrise Alfalfa
•25% Timothy Grass
•15% Orchardgrass
•10% Medium Red Clover
•10% Perennial Ryegrass
•10% Tall Fescue

I have a couple of questions - 1) how well will a mixture of small and large seeds drill coming from the same hopper and 2) should I add fertilizer (for example 46-0-0) and if so would that go in a different hopper or mix with the seed?

I grew up on a farm on the Western Slope of Colorado but we always did straight alfalfa (row irrigated), never any grass, so I'm looking for advice.

Thanks,

Rick

 

[agmantoo]

As the drill bounces along the smaller seed will sift to the bottom and come out first. Many drills have two seed compartments to lessen this from happening. One compartment is for seeds like clover and the other is for larger seeds.

 

[Stocker Steve]

No fertilizer.

Calculate the no. of seeds per type per sq foot - -then reduce the amount of timothy and increase the amount of TF..

 

[kciD]

would drill the large seeds and broadcast the smaller ones-- harrowing behind-- if you do not have a two compartment drill.

broadcasting both (at the same time) does not work favorable either- as they have different 'flight' levels.

I would do a soil test first-- chances are the soil levels will be good enough to establish a stand-- if it's been row cropped by anyone with a brain. Most people, don't fertilze pastures anyways-- even though they need to yearly and a legume.

I would also calculate the PLS of your seed mixture-- most often when you buy an 'already made up pasture mix', it's junk.

 

[bigbull338]

as said with that mix of seeds you need a small seedbox on the drill as well to get decent coverage.or as said you could broadcast the small seeds.