ground after dozer work

[pdubdo]

See my post under machinery for how I got a dozer
I'm beginning to consolidate old brush piles and clear sections of brush and trees. I'm left w/ sections of formerly native grass pasture that's now down to dirt in places. I've got a dozer, a 40hp tractor w/ FEL and brush hog, 2 teenage boys, and a UTV as my resources. No cattle on the place right now (shooting for next Spring/summer). I'm only out there part-time, so do I a) leave it and wait for the natural seedbank to regrow? b) sow it by hand now with cool season annuals/something else to try and cover it over winter? c) rent/hire/buy disc-ing type attachments, plant it, and go all out to make it better? My place is overall pretty natural (10+ years of fallow pastures-no grazing). Also, it's pretty flat. And we are talking about 0.5-2 acre patches here and there.

 

[Ouachita]

Get a soil sample first. If you can't afford to get the pH and nutrient correct, do pH first. Sow annual ryegrass in the places you need to stop erosion, and even places you just want it to have pretty green grass. Then you'll have all winter to decide what to spend the rest of your money on

 

[Jabes0623]

Yes get a soil sample & lime & fertilize as close to what it calls for as you can.

I don't see your location but fall is a good time of year to sow seed in many areas. If yours happens to be one of them I'd go ahead & sow whatever you want there long term now.

As fas as choosing what types of grasses/legumes to sow, again that's a local question. Talk to your neighbors, call your county extension agent & anyone else local who can give you good advice. No point fighting Mother Nature, you'll never win.

When time to sow comes, make sure you drag the ground before you sow & again after. Some folks will tell you to roll it but I've found dragging to be more effective for me. If properly drug you don't need to put straw down over it but obviously you still can.

 

[bball]

Yes get a soil sample & lime & fertilize as close to what it calls for as you can.

I don't see your location but fall is a good time of year to sow seed in many areas. If yours happens to be one of them I'd go ahead & sow whatever you want there long term now.

As fas as choosing what types of grasses/legumes to sow, again that's a local question. Talk to your neighbors, call your county extension agent & anyone else local who can give you good advice. No point fighting Mother Nature, you'll never win.

When time to sow comes, make sure you drag the ground before you sow & again after. Some folks will tell you to roll it but I've found dragging to be more effective for me. If properly drug you don't need to put straw down over it but obviously you still can.

What are you using to drag Jabes?

 

[Jabes0623]

A 3 point landscape rake. I set it so the tines just barely get into the dirt. I shoot for 1/2", though obviously the tines do dig in a little deeper at times.

About the only negative I've found is when the tines do dig in a little too much you get a row effect but after a few months of growth it fills in fine. Looks a little funny when it first sprouts though.

When working on dozed ground it's already pretty well compacted so I drag it once just to stir up the top of the soil, sow the seed (about 10% more than recommended) & then go back & lightly drag it again. If you can time it so you get a nice steady rain a day or 2 after sowing even better. But I've found even heavy dew is enough to cause that top layer of dirt to settle enough to really hold onto that seed.

 

[bball]

Thanks Jabes. I had been using a chain harrow drag. Just like you said once before, once after. Did 10 acres of crabgrass late this spring with very good results. Will have to give the landscape rake a try.