sprigging

[cagle520]

I have small acrege split by county road. On one side the land is sort of a small hill or an incline. It was sprigged with coastal several years ago which in time the top half of the incline has eroaded a little showing the yellowish clay underneath. The bottom half of the incline still has a very good stand of grass. I want to resprig the top half again, I want to know what I need to do and when. Alos, the acreage across the road has native bermuda. I want to graze and bale both sides. Any help is great! Thanks...

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Bermudagrass, as you know, is a warm season grass. For sprigging I'd probably wait until Spring and try to sprig before any rains are forecast for best results. I'd check with people in your Central Texas area that do sprigging and see what they recommend.

 

[Jogeephus]

You said small acreage. Don't know xacly what you mean. Less than 12 acres I am going to assume. If this is the case and I were you, I'd just let the edge of the bare area get rank by not mowing it when I cut hay. Let the grass get about a foot deep or so then cut with a nonconditioner mower and immediately rake the grass into a windrow and thow it on a trailer and get some kids to throw the cuttings across the bare area as you drive across the field. Once complete, harrow it in. Once its harrowed in, pack it good with a roller or something. You'll have grass before you know it and it won't cost you much.

Also, you may need to harrow it before you scatter the cuttings. Should take you and two high school kids about 4 hours to do it.

As to when, try to do it just in front of a rain but packing it will take care of you if it don't for quite some time.

 

[cagle520]

Small acreage yes, 8 acres on the top side and 7 acres on the other side of the road. The top side is the one that has half of the soil (yellow clay) showing. Should it be fertilized, if so with what is suggested.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Small acreage yes, 8 acres on the top side and 7 acres on the other side of the road. The top side is the one that has half of the soil (yellow clay) showing. Should it be fertilized, if so with what is suggested.

Run a soil test and it will tell you. Take your results to an old time fertilize retail and tell them what you are doing. If you don't know how to test, go to your county agent and get the test kit, send the samples to A & M .

You are not far from me. I immediately assume you have an abundance of lime in the soil, along with other assumptions. However, I'd still do the soil test and tell them you are sprigging.

 

[Jogeephus]

Ditto on soil test. Fertilizer is too expensive to be putting out if not needed.