fertilizing the fuzz?

[cmf1]

Had about 3 acres cleared with a dozer and was only able to get common bermuda seed out and spike harrow into the dust. Time of year was all about opportunity with fresh dirt. Started raining on me before I finished harrowing in, and been raining everyday since. Serious raining. Went back to look at it and I've got a fairly nice fuzz on the ground but no chance to fertilize it. Rains are supposed to keep up for the next week.
After the rains let up, how tall and thick would the Bermuda have to be before I can run a tractor on it with fert.? Or do I just leave it be till I spread Rye at the end of September? Or Wait till October, or leave it till spring? I could take this pasture out of rotation if I have to. It's about half mature and now half seedling.
The ground's gonna be soft until the next long dry spell as it was dust and now pretty loose and wet.

 

[ga. prime]

Go in when it gets where you won't rut it up. Are you growing common bermuda for cows to graze on? You did know that it won't get but 4 inches tall?

 

[1982vett]

The problem with fertilizing now is the weeds will make more use of it than the bermuda. In my opinion getting a good root system before killing frost should be the main focus right now. I wouldn't be to worried about thin spots this year as long as you can get it to come back in the spring. I'd wait till later in the year and it isn't that long till September anyway.

 

[cmf1]

Ga.,
We must have different types of soil or something. I just had to top 2 pastures and some of it was near 8-10 inches tall in spots and thick like moss. I had talked to my county agent about putting out big leaf var. and he told me it would all be common in 2-3 years anyway so don't waste my money. So I bought the common for $105 per 50# and let'er rip.
Vett,
It only takes a little bit of arm twistin to get me to sit back, relax and let nature happen. You're right September's really not that far out and it makes more sense than fightin' it.

 

[ga. prime]

Maybe your common is different from my common, I don't know. I've got some spots of it mixed in with coastal and you can pick them out from a mile away. They look like somebody went in with a lawnmower and mowed out a fairway landing in some British Open deep rough. If it's cut for hay, there'll be absolutely nothing to rake from the common bermuda spots. Hope it works well for you.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

The common seems to do better here than any of the rest. I have cut some this year that was better than knee high.

 

[1982vett]

Maybe your common is different from my common, I don't know. I've got some spots of it mixed in with coastal and you can pick them out from a mile away. They look like somebody went in with a lawnmower and mowed out a fairway landing in some British Open deep rough. If it's cut for hay, there'll be absolutely nothing to rake from the common bermuda spots. Hope it works well for you.

I think their are probably thousands of different varieties all called Common Bermuda. Some are short, some medium height and then the tall ones. From what I see by planting the blended bermudas is that usually have all three types or at least two; as each year goes by the shorter varieties tend to keep the larger varieties runners from making ground contact which impedes its ability to replenish itself. (No research grant money taken and spent to form this assumption so it is a tax friendly idea. It was arrived by just watching growth characteristics of what I have planted.)

Now another though, and remember the same amount was spent on its formation, if common bermuda can grow 2-3 inches a week in a yard and require mowing back to an inch and a half every week, what would be so bad about having that in a pasture. You just have to avoid that stuff that only grows an inch tall.

So if I were planting it for hay, I'd avoid any that has the shorter varieties in the blend. Trouble their is that rules out most of the blends.

 

[ga. prime]

Maybe your common is different from my common, I don't know. I've got some spots of it mixed in with coastal and you can pick them out from a mile away. They look like somebody went in with a lawnmower and mowed out a fairway landing in some British Open deep rough. If it's cut for hay, there'll be absolutely nothing to rake from the common bermuda spots. Hope it works well for you.

Some are short, some medium height and then the tall ones. From what I see by planting the blended bermudas is that usually have all three types or at least two; as each year goes by the shorter varieties tend to keep the larger varieties runners from making ground contact which impedes its ability to replenish itself.

The shortest one is what I have. It grows so thick nothing else can creep in on it. It's fairway golf course grade. It'll not get higher than your ankles if you never mow or graze it.

 

[1982vett]

I've got a 3 acre oat patch I fought bermuda on a long time. Finally I decided that if bermuda wanted to take it over I'd let it. Turns out it is that short stuff. Ryegrass usually does pretty good on it in the spring anyway and the rest of the time it is mostly used to trap the cattle. One of these years when rainfall starts to be frequent I might try to establish something else. I wonder if Tifton85 could choke it out? I've been really surprised by my little test/play spot this year and the way it has handled the drought.

 

[ga. prime]

I don't know about Tift85, but Coastal can't compete with it.

 

[cmf1]

I reckon I'm gonna have to keep an eye on this "common" I've planted vs. what I've been told is "common" already in the pastures.
I know if you turn fresh dirt here and leave it, volunteer "common" bermuda is the first grass that sprouts. Along with a mix of many different weed var.