Need advice on pasture rennovation harrow

   / Need advice on pasture rennovation harrow #1  

ronlhar

New member
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
4
Location
Georgia
Tractor
JDeere 3120
I recently purchased a place with several acres of fescue pasture that is thin and needs rennovation (in N. Georgia). This is rolling land with thin topsoil, some rocks and some embedded boulders. I need to rennovate and re-seed the pasture by lightly breaking up the surface without going too deep and stirring up all the rocks or loosing the topsoil to a heavy rain, or ripping out the existing grass. I have a 30 HP tractor w/3 pt hitch and a 27 HP zero turn mower to pull attachments. I need to hear from folks with advice on what type of implements would be best to prepare the soil for seeding. Have considered: core aerator, spiked drag harrow, disc harrow, and chisel tooth harrow, etc., but would like to hear from those who have experience and advice. Thanks in advance.
 
   / Need advice on pasture rennovation harrow #2  
I have seen this done when overseeding hay pastures with another grass for winter.
It was done with a disc harrow. The wheels were set pretty straight as I recollect so as not to dig in very much. It left the dirt and existing grass lightly shredded.

Warhammer
 
   / Need advice on pasture rennovation harrow #3  
Without a good deep root zone, you will have to build one. Otherwise, your land will never reach full potential. It sounds like you need to add a lot of organic matter worked into the soil; easier said, than done. You are definitely on the right track with your approach to lightly breaking the surface. I've recently done some of the same work, on a smaller scale. I found the Bush Hog landscape rake to be an ideal tool for creating a seed bed.

In your case, with several acres, I'd want something along the lines of a seed drill with discs, that has the capability to scarify the soil, and plant the seed in one operation. Planting some deep diving legumes with the fescue will help build the soil.
 
   / Need advice on pasture rennovation harrow #4  
Our local Soil Conservation Office has a no-till seed drill that they make available for a small fee. You might check around for an area NRSC office and ask about that possibility. As well, those folk's can also provide added info regarding planting rates, best varieties, fert rates, etc. etc.

Buffalo, LandPride both manufacture seed drills of this type. The planter has disc coulters that open the ground and drop the seed and roller packs the furrows in one pass. This eliminates the need to disrupt the existing vegetation and preserves the integrity of the soil.

If this approach isn't likely gonna be an option for you - the disc harrow would be the next best approach - IMO. Set the gangs to the least aggressive angle and maintain a shallow draft on the 3pt hitch so as to lessen the overall damage to the existing grasses, etc. as well as better protecting the existing topsoil from possible erosion.

Of course, you would then need to broadcast seed and then pack the seedbed. Either by hand or drop seeder and then roll the seedbed.

Good luck.

AKfish
 
   / Need advice on pasture rennovation harrow #5  
Anything you do should not go deep. I live in an area with 3-4 " of topsoil then a beautiful mix of clay and rock. No till or using a drag will be best.

What is there now, if you have a lot of noxious weeds you may need to spray with a herbicide. Then drag, overseed and drag again.

Get a soil test and add the right amounts of nutrients, and adjust pH as necessary.

wftree
 
   / Need advice on pasture rennovation harrow #6  
a drag harrow, or disc set straight and shallow...

soundguy
 
   / Need advice on pasture rennovation harrow #7  
I have had some luck overseeding my pasture with a spike tooth harrow. I drag it with the teeth forward in the more aggressive postion and go over the pasture to scarify the soil. Than I broadcast the seed, followed by a second drag with the harrow to try and incorporate the seed into the top layer of the soil. This also helps me break up the old manure from the horses still in the field from the winter. I agree with the other guys that a no-till seeder would work well if you can lease one or hire out the seeding. My method requires more seed as some does not germinate because it doesn't get buried by the drag. We use a mix of orchard grass, timothy and fescue up here. Some folks include 5% clover, but I already have trouble with the clover that is there taking over my fields so I leave it out.
 
   / Need advice on pasture rennovation harrow #8  
If you were closer, I'd let you try out my newest toy! Going saturday to pick up a Farnahm pasture renovator. Shallow running ripper shanks with a drop seeder/spreader attachment.

I just can't pass up a bargain!!!!!!
 
   / Need advice on pasture rennovation harrow #9  
If you were closer, I'd let you try out my newest toy! Going saturday to pick up a Farnahm pasture renovator. Shallow running ripper shanks with a drop seeder/spreader attachment.

I just can't pass up a bargain!!!!!!

I've used a small version of one of those back a few years when i was rehabbing a horse pasture. not too shabby either..

soundguy
 
   / Need advice on pasture rennovation harrow #10  
I recently purchased a place with several acres of fescue pasture that is thin and needs rennovation (in N. Georgia). This is rolling land with thin topsoil, some rocks and some embedded boulders. I need to rennovate and re-seed the pasture by lightly breaking up the surface without going too deep and stirring up all the rocks or loosing the topsoil to a heavy rain, or ripping out the existing grass. I have a 30 HP tractor w/3 pt hitch and a 27 HP zero turn mower to pull attachments. I need to hear from folks with advice on what type of implements would be best to prepare the soil for seeding. Have considered: core aerator, spiked drag harrow, disc harrow, and chisel tooth harrow, etc., but would like to hear from those who have experience and advice. Thanks in advance.

I have the same situation on my 10 acres of pasture. I plan to use my 10-ft tandem disc set for really light tilling.

Also have been looking into using forage radish as a way to de-compact the soil without deep tillage and or ripping with a subsoiler.

Reduced Tillage Template
 
 
 
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