need help with hay field

[kenojoe]

My 10 acre field was in tobacco 5 years ago and reseeded with orchard&fescue grass. It never did very good. Last spring I winter seeded with clover. Field is better but so so. I am waiting to get my soil test back any day. I have no access to any equipment other than a seeder for my 3 pt. hitch. The ext. agent says I should put down orchard. & clover. I will lime as soon as I get my report. Problem is I need to sow seed right away to catch the freeze/ thaw cycle before it warms up. When do I fertilize? How would you help this field without equipment? I need it for hay and pasture so I can't really get it plowed and start over. I didn't realize how thin it was getting until it got grazed down or I would have started last fall. What can I do to get something going, or am I just pissing in the wind? Thanks for any advice.

 

[riquezada]

My 10 acre field was in tobacco 5 years ago and reseeded with orchard&fescue grass. It never did very good. Last spring I winter seeded with clover. Field is better but so so. I am waiting to get my soil test back any day. I have no access to any equipment other than a seeder for my 3 pt. hitch. The ext. agent says I should put down orchard. & clover. I will lime as soon as I get my report. Problem is I need to sow seed right away to catch the freeze/ thaw cycle before it warms up. When do I fertilize? How would you help this field without equipment? I need it for hay and pasture so I can't really get it plowed and start over. I didn't realize how thin it was getting until it got grazed down or I would have started last fall. What can I do to get something going, or am I just be nice in the wind? Thanks for any advice.

Overseeding clover is supposed to work. I done some a few years ago but didn't see much results. Maybe wrong time of seedijng. I would say the liming has a major effect on the sucess, eventhough you might only see results after 6 mos- a year after applying.

I am here in Glasgow, KY. Any idea when red and white clover should be frost seeded? Cattle feedlot operator next door said in March. I figure the frezzing thawing would be over by then. I figure in a couple of weeks.

 

[dun]

You need a couple of things for frost seeding of clover to work. Proper soil ph, inoculated seed, soil moisture, short grass or exposed soil and around a month or so of freezing thawing weather. In this part of MO we frost seed the first week of February, if we can get into the pasture without tearing it up.
If you have a significant clover/legume component you don't want to add much N when you fertilize. The grass will become too vigourous and will shade out the clover.
Talk to the local NRCS people, they'll have a better feel for what is required and the timing for your area.
You aren't going to be able to lime with your 3 pt seeder, just doesn't work well enough. Your local fertilizer/lime dealer can spread it for you and you can have fertilizer (to test) and clover included when they spread it. One pass will do the job.

dun

 

[riquezada]

You need a couple of things for frost seeding of clover to work. Proper soil ph, inoculated seed, soil moisture, short grass or exposed soil and around a month or so of freezing thawing weather. In this part of MO we frost seed the first week of February, if we can get into the pasture without tearing it up.
If you have a significant clover/legume component you don't want to add much N when you fertilize. The grass will become too vigourous and will shade out the clover.
Talk to the local NRCS people, they'll have a better feel for what is required and the timing for your area.
You aren't going to be able to lime with your 3 pt seeder, just doesn't work well enough. Your local fertilizer/lime dealer can spread it for you and you can have fertilizer (to test) and clover included when they spread it. One pass will do the job.

You absolutely right, Dun. First step I am doing is the soil test. Luckily there is a rock quary directly across the road from my farm (47 acres). I think our driveways are about 75' apart. I do get about a $2 per ton lime spread bill discount for being so close. I had the farm just a few years and prior to that is was part of a range for a feedlot. According to the nieghbor who tends the remaining part of the feedlot, it hasn't been limed in 25 years. There is quite a bit of broomsage here and there. I think it is rather fertil, though, but the soil test will tell. I was wondering if a fertilizer buggy would spread lime. They are a dime a dozen around here. This county is the 2nd largest beef producer in the state of KY.

dun

 

[dun]

You need a couple of things for frost seeding of clover to work. Proper soil ph, inoculated seed, soil moisture, short grass or exposed soil and around a month or so of freezing thawing weather. In this part of MO we frost seed the first week of February, if we can get into the pasture without tearing it up.
If you have a significant clover/legume component you don't want to add much N when you fertilize. The grass will become too vigourous and will shade out the clover.
Talk to the local NRCS people, they'll have a better feel for what is required and the timing for your area.
You aren't going to be able to lime with your 3 pt seeder, just doesn't work well enough. Your local fertilizer/lime dealer can spread it for you and you can have fertilizer (to test) and clover included when they spread it. One pass will do the job.

dun

You absolutely right, Dun. First step I am doing is the soil test. Luckily there is a rock quary directly across the road from my farm (47 acres). I think our driveways are about 75' apart. I do get about a $2 per ton lime spread bill discount for being so close. I had the farm just a few years and prior to that is was part of a range for a feedlot. According to the nieghbor who tends the remaining part of the feedlot, it hasn't been limed in 25 years. There is quite a bit of broomsage here and there. I think it is rather fertil, though, but the soil test will tell. I was wondering if a fertilizer buggy would spread lime. They are a dime a dozen around here. This county is the 2nd largest beef producer in the state of KY.

dun

Fertilizer buggys usually have a little problem with spreading lime evenly because it's so fine. It also depends on the size of the lime particles as to if you can spread everything at the same time or if it will take two passes.
If you get lime from the quarry make sure you know the neutralizing effect of that particular lime. That's what determines how many pounds/tons per acre are required. Broom sedge is considered an indication of eithe ph or fertilization being out of kilter, sometimes both.
One thing that makes frost seeding eaiser or rather more affective is a skiff or a coule of inches of snow. You can see where the seed has gone and get a more uniform seed spread. I have a filed out front that you can see about a 5-10 foot gap between tyhe bands of clover. Not a problem but it sure looks strange when the grass gets to growing since the grass and clover are different shades of green.

dun