Reseading Pastures and Hay fields

[kickinbull]

From a thread below and bunches of others we've seen in the past reseeding is the only way to bring fields back to life?
Noble foundation when talking about crabgrass they say to let it go back to seed. Which to me means that it should be cut later. what are your thoughts?

 

[Bigfoot]

My crabgrass seems to go on and go to seed, no matter what I do. Like God programmed it to make seed, before winter.

 

[Ebenezer]

To get an even stand of reseeding crabgrass you need a little soil surface disturbance. It makes plenty of seeds each year unless you really abuse it. And the seed from past years will also germinate better than the newer seed.

 

[ClinchValley]

To get an even stand of reseeding crabgrass you need a little soil surface disturbance. It makes plenty of seeds each year unless you really abuse it. And the seed from past years will also germinate better than the newer seed.

Would running a disc across the ground(not deep) accomplish this light surface disturbance? I have been thinking about this very seriously. Followed by an overseeding… This would be for fescue/clover. Reseeding with fescue if it makes a difference.

Would help with soil compaction, correct?

Or a harrow/spiked drag?

 

[ClinchValley]

Dunno how much sense this makes, but also thought about cutting very short to the ground and overseeding. Bad idea? We have a many years neglected hayfield. Undesirables throughout. Would cutting short only help the weeds?

 

[Son of Butch]

I would go with a spiked drag/harrow rather than a disc, but yes a disc can be used for light surface disturbance.

 

[M.Magis]

Before doing anything, I'd test the soil and add lime/fertilizer per the results.

 

[ClinchValley]

Before doing anything, I'd test the soil and add lime/fertilizer per the results.

+ 1 on that!

Our farm is a father/son operation. You all know how that goes. I (30 years old) still am not taken seriously. As my father knows best. As the expression goes, poop or get off the pot! He says this and says that, but does nothing. Well, its the end of April, year number three, and we haven't done anything. Weeds are getting worse and worse. I am spraying this week. Going to get a few samples asap.

With it being 30 years since anything was put to the ground, lime or fert, I am sure it could use some lime, as we have naturally acidic soil. I figured throwing 2 ton/ acre would be a place to start.

Finished with the rant. Thanks for listening. Hahaha :help:

 

[dun]

I figured throwing 2 ton/ acre would be a place to start.

It may be a place to start but it isn;t a smart place to start. Soil test first, then determine how much and how frequent you will need to apply lime to get the ph in the range you want. This farm had been abused for a good number of years, ph wise. What we did for starters was applied lime and checked the ph every year. The first year it didn;t go up much, the second year it took a jump, third year was about like the first, fourth year no change. That;'s when we applied lime again. After going through those hoops, we haven;t had to apply lime now for 5 years. Haven;t tested it yet this year to see if we will need any.

 

[tdc_cattle]

Our farm is a father/son operation. You all know how that goes. I (30 years old) still am not taken seriously. As my father knows best. As the expression goes, poop or get off the pot! He says this and says that, but does nothing. :

I feel your pain. Throw a controlling step mom in the mix and it can be extremely trying.

 

[ClinchValley]

Our farm is a father/son operation. You all know how that goes. I (30 years old) still am not taken seriously. As my father knows best. As the expression goes, poop or get off the pot! He says this and says that, but does nothing. :

I feel your pain. Throw a controlling step mom in the mix and it can be extremely trying.

 

[ClinchValley]

I figured throwing 2 ton/ acre would be a place to start.

It may be a place to start but it isn;t a smart place to start. Soil test first, then determine how much and how frequent you will need to apply lime to get the ph in the range you want. This farm had been abused for a good number of years, ph wise. What we did for starters was applied lime and checked the ph every year. The first year it didn;t go up much, the second year it took a jump, third year was about like the first, fourth year no change. That;'s when we applied lime again. After going through those hoops, we haven;t had to apply lime now for 5 years. Haven;t tested it yet this year to see if we will need any.

The neighboring farm, both pasture fields and hay fields, looks like a dream. I have been picking their brain. Their advice was to apply 4 ton/acre of lime this spring, and fertilize next year. Of course, take a sample this year for a base line. Sounds a little much than we want to throw at it right now. Planning to spray herbicide this week. Been cutting leveling broomsage all week. Probably 30 acres cut so far. Could only assume it smothers the green grass out.

Just praying we don't have to start over from scratch on hay fields.

Half of one field was old tobacco plot which was never seeded. It looks AWEFUL!

 

[M.Magis]

I’ve always heard to not spread more than 2 tons/acre at a time because much more than that just increases waste. I don’t know how true it is, just what I’ve always been told.

 

[ClinchValley]

I’ve always heard to not spread more than 2 tons/acre at a time because much more than that just increases waste. I don’t know how true it is, just what I’ve always been told.

Noted. Thanks