Options for old row crop land

[tater74]

We bought a place that has been row cropped for years. The current rotation is milo, corn, and wheat. I would like to take 10 acres and plant it with grass to cut and bale for hay. We intend to have a few head and have other acreage we can keep them on so we don't need it for pasture.

We have heavy clay soil and one area that can have standing water after a good rain.

I've read up on the johnson grass issues, sprigging bermuda, and other grass options. I don't have any experience with this and would love to have some advice from those that know.

Thanks,
Doug

 

[B&M Farms]

Although it likes soils that drain well, bermuda will tolerate some flooding and clay soils as long as you meet the nitrogen requirements. I don't know how well bahia grass will grow in your area but it grows well in clay here and tolerates flooding better than bermuda grasses. Bahia will make a lower quality hay with the same inputs though.

 

[chippie]

Our place was in rows when we bought it 20 years ago. The person who had farmed it was a chemical farmer (killing weeds) and robbed the soil of nutrients (didn't fertilize).
We had it disked very well and planted Jiggs. Some took, most of it didn't. Fortunately there was some native bermuda that had survived the farmer and it re-established itself. It took well over a year to get any sort of decent pasture.

If you can, get a soil sample done so that you will know what you need to do for the land. I wish that we had done that first. We bought it in the Fall. We really don't get winter here until Feb/March.

 

[novatech]

Old row crop land is generally short on organic matter as well as the basic 3, N, P and K. Intensive grazing is your best bet at improving the soil. A hay field is a poor choice for this type of land as it is yet just another practice in line with the previous soil robbing row cropping of the past.
If your intent on making this into a hay field then Johnsongrass is the least expensive way to go.

 

[1982vett]

Old row crop land is generally short on organic matter as well as the basic 3, N, P and K. Intensive grazing is your best bet at improving the soil. A hay field is a poor choice for this type of land as it is yet just another practice in line with the previous soil robbing row cropping of the past.
If your intent on making this into a hay field then Johnsongrass is the least expensive way to go.

Johnny Watkins just LOVED Bahia....

 

[skyhightree1]

We bought a place that has been row cropped for years. The current rotation is milo, corn, and wheat. I would like to take 10 acres and plant it with grass to cut and bale for hay. We intend to have a few head and have other acreage we can keep them on so we don't need it for pasture.

We have heavy clay soil and one area that can have standing water after a good rain.

I've read up on the johnson grass issues, sprigging bermuda, and other grass options. I don't have any experience with this and would love to have some advice from those that know.

Thanks,
Doug

I raise row crops and first thing you need to do is get a soil test and see what that says... now some chemicals that are used on row crops can have lasting effects on crops you plant sometimes. I personally would soil test and break up the land you want to plant on then disc and plant after you have gave the soil the nutrients it needs.

 

[tater74]

Thinks, I appreciate the input. I will get the soil tested.

 

[skyhightree1]

Thinks, I appreciate the input. I will get the soil tested.

You are welcome