DAWGONECATTLEMAN
Member
Can you make any ground good ground with the proper care. I'm just wandering if you can take poor ground and with enough lime, ferterlize, and attention convert it into good pasture land?
Poor ground?
- Thread starter DAWGONECATTLEMAN
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Running Arrow Bill
Well-known member
DAWGONECATTLEMAN":22f2pxrl said:
People do it! I don't know anything about Georgia farm/ranch land, but assume when you mention "lime" your soil pH is on the acid side. The best pasture land has tilth/friability, hold adequate moisture (without drying out or staying soggy wet), free of tons of rocks, weeds, and trash vegetation.
Having been in the landscaping business in years past, we did a lot of soil amending with high clay & caliche soils? Took a lot of work, bringing in few inches of quality topsoil, tilling it in, and adding any other needed amendments, fertilizer. HOWEVER, it's not practical to add good soil to a pasture...lol.
I'd do comprehensive soil testing (and percolation tests, if needed) and add soil amendments as needed. Consult with your Extension service or Land Grant Ag University (Range Management Department). Select pasture grass(es) appropriate for your locale. May take couple of years to bring it into proper production.
Good luck!
Millerfamfarms
Active member
It depends on what seeds you plant. Really there is no way to convert bad ground into good ground. It only works if what your planting is used to that type of soil. We've replanted pastures and let them sit for a few years only to find that the grass wasn't going to get any taller and the ground was just to light.
I have seen gravely ground, like a gravel pit not just some rocks, turned into decent hayfields with lots and lots of manure spread on them over a few years. The on that comes to mind was next to a dairy and within3-4 years of heavy manure they seeded it and ithas been doing great. My biggest concern would be when it's time to work the ground again not to dig up all the rocks.
rgv
Well-known member
You can grow grass on asphalt if spend enough money on it.
Just don't make good sense - eh.
RGV
Just don't make good sense - eh.
RGV
Sage":2mwi3w8k said:
Won't even have to work the ground. Unless it keeps being covered up by dirt or other material the rocks will come to the surface. We see it every year in the hay fields. A couple of years of not finding a rock and the next year you're throwing them all over the place with the mower. Around here a lot of the poeple that have real hayfields and not pastures that htye treat as hay fileds roll them every spring to push the rocks back down.
dun
Jogeephus
Well-known member
I'd say there are very few soils in Georgia that you cannot make productive. One's that come to mind are sugar sands, soils with shallow soil and granite underneath and wetlands. Other than this, I can't think of any that you can't grow grass on.
What's growing on it now?
What's growing on it now?
andybob
Well-known member
A farm in the south of England had the deep subsoil from a government built atomic bunker spread over the fields rendering them useless for cropping profitably. A herd of outdoor pigs were run over the fields for two years, after which with some minor trace element supplimentation, the fields went back into full crop production on a rotation which includes livestoch every fourth year. Returning the organic element to soils is one of the most important steps in rehabilitating degraded soils.
Herefordcross
Well-known member
My best Advice would be to feed your stock on it the ground and move the hay feeder, if you use one, daily. It may take a little more time but, It will work.
Aaron
Well-known member
Put up some real good primary fences, and set it up for temporary cross fences. Then offer to feed all your nearby neighbors cattle for free for the winter, they supply the feed. Feed them over the entire field, drag harrows over it in the spring, get one crop off and then turn it over in the fall. You get a good 3-4 inches of manure covering, and you have a good 5 years of quality growth.
DAWGONECATTLEMAN
I wish I knew more of the area where you are located at to answer this question. The first thing I would do is get a soil test and start from there. Also if you are located or have access to chicken litter, I would use that instead of comical fertilizer, just because it puts organic material back into the soil. Aaron touched on this when he was talking about using stockers to put organic material back in the soil as well. Grass for some reason grows better on chicken litter than cow manure. However you need to look at your budget and availability of both products. In short it can be done; you just need to choose the way that is best for you. Hope this Helps.
Auburn_Ag
I wish I knew more of the area where you are located at to answer this question. The first thing I would do is get a soil test and start from there. Also if you are located or have access to chicken litter, I would use that instead of comical fertilizer, just because it puts organic material back into the soil. Aaron touched on this when he was talking about using stockers to put organic material back in the soil as well. Grass for some reason grows better on chicken litter than cow manure. However you need to look at your budget and availability of both products. In short it can be done; you just need to choose the way that is best for you. Hope this Helps.
Auburn_Ag
tytower
Well-known member
Fellow here in Australia called Yeoman developed a plough like a chissel plough but skinny and he drags that down 3 inches to start one way then 4 inches diagonally both ways. Next time he takes the plough down an inch and does the same thing ,continues on and boasts a 9 inch top soil in three years. This on very dry soil to start ,3 or 4 inches of rainfall a year.
He uses a lowline method of ploughing which follows the topographic contours of the land and one other bit I like the idea of but hav'nt tried is to attach bat wings to the bottom of he plough under ground to cut off the deep rooted weeds which then die and break down to help get the topsoil working.
ATM I am trying a Dolomite spread only as our soils are acidic to start.
One thing you can be sure on ,you have to get the worms going by any means you can and the dung beetles too if you have them
He uses a lowline method of ploughing which follows the topographic contours of the land and one other bit I like the idea of but hav'nt tried is to attach bat wings to the bottom of he plough under ground to cut off the deep rooted weeds which then die and break down to help get the topsoil working.
ATM I am trying a Dolomite spread only as our soils are acidic to start.
One thing you can be sure on ,you have to get the worms going by any means you can and the dung beetles too if you have them
gabby":2iyjl1kd said:Dawgone ain't talking. I guess he quit the thread he started. I thought he would surely respond to the Auburn guy!
Well maybe I answered his question really well or confused him one! LOL :lol:
