Thoughts.....

[bball]

Would like to have input from the pasture gurus on this idea I'm considering.

Approx 22 acres of ground that was cleared this past winter. Too much root/branch debris left to drill in seed this past spring, so I broadcast spread some perennial rye and Ky31 as cover..hoping for best, but not expecting much. Solid 7 weeks of rain from end of May until mid July made it impossible to spray or do anything with. Weeds thrived after disturbing seeded during clearing. Grass seed caught some sporadically...but virtually all weeds. Had some cows over there for past 3 weeks grubbing up any edibles. Soil samples are back. Going to lime to recommendations. Here comes the hairbrain scheme part...

Still too much surface debris to drill or run planter comfortably...so I'm thinking of broadcast spreading some more KY31, then come in and mow the whole thing with a flail mower (does a nice job of creating a fine mulch and minimal windrows) and hoping debris from mowing provides a good seed cover. And hoping maybe the Ky31 will get a nice start thus fall. Then come back in spring and spray hard for weeds. Am I just wasting time and money, or does this sound like it could work?


Note my original plan was to roundup the whole thing and drill in seed before Sept 10. More debris near surface than I cared for, so I'm scratching that.

 

[greybeard]

Dunno about your lattitude, but down here, if I did that right now on a comparable piece of ground, mostly what I would be doing is ensuring all the weed seeds from this summer come up next spring.
If allowed, I think I would set a fire, then, broadcast some annual ryegrass for this winter and start anew next spring.

 

[regolith]

If the weeds are mainly broadleaf that can be easily sprayed out without harming the grass, sounds like it could work.
Most likely the soil right now is unsuitable for establishing pasture or you're losing the grass seed to slugs/mice/birds or something of the sort. Creating a fine mulch as you suggest seems like it would help to improve the soil and maybe protect the seed from birds (though not slugs or mice). Haven't tried it that way myself, but we have a few cleared areas here that haven't taken the grass seed we spread, and in my opinion won't take it till the soil organic content/fertility matches the remainder of the pasture.

 

[bball]

Dunno about your lattitude, but down here, if I did that right now on a comparable piece of ground, mostly what I would be doing is ensuring all the weed seeds from this summer come up next spring.
If allowed, I think I would set a fire, then, broadcast some annual ryegrass for this winter and start anew next spring.

Gb, im an hour and a half north of Indy, edge of snowbelt. You touched on my biggest fear- weed seed dispersal. Controlled burn would be ideal, have two issues though, 1. Weeds are still a touch too green to totally torch and 2. Pasture is surrounded by corn or beans on 3 sides. Pretty much eliminates burn until November, which puts me too late to plant anything. I was thinking mow it, because the weed seed is already there and isnt going away and try to spray aggressively in spring. I was thinking if i mowed it now, the pasture seed that was spread in spring may have a fighting chance to start growing now??? Thanks for the input. Who knows, maybe i should wait til crops are out, burn it, leave if set over winter, try again in spring and hope for better weather...

 

[bird dog]

If it is possible to burn, thats what I would wait to do. Wouldn't frost seeding work pretty well over burned ground?

 

[Banjo]

Now is he time to sow fescue and orchardgrass. Sow a nurse crop like ryegrass or cereal rye with it.
Late summer or early fall is the best time to sow grasses around here. IMO the same would go for Indiana

 

[skyhightree1]

I am definitely no guru... Round up would be my best friend right now and I would spray the whole area. If you have a disc I would go back after a good burn and do some discing to make sure when you broadcast seeds get to the ground or better yet spread the seeds after discing and lightly disc again. Now is time to get the fescue and other nurse crops in the ground as others said. I would get the grass planted and not worry with clover because in order for you to get the weeds under control you will need a spray program for a while IMO then once you get the weeds under control you can try to put in some clover if you so choose. I have much better success with fescue in fall plantings. :2cents:

 

[bball]

Thanks for all the ideas everyone.. went ahead and spread 25lbs/ac KY31. Will start mowing as early as tomorrow..we got a nice light rain today, should help. Plan on spraying aggressively in spring..will see what happens..will update..might save someone else some headaches if it doesn't work too well. Thanks again.