Minimum equipment for re seeding ?

[Dave5264]

Hi All, after a pretty successful first haying season, I recognise that a few of my fields need some rejuvination and re seeding.

One of them I may be able to mow more regularly and see it come back with fewer weeds and more timothy.

the others (20 acres +) I suspect will need re-seeding in some manner as the timothy has gone and a sort of wetland grass has taken over

so... since im new to all this, and I dont have any equipment for plowing, disking or seeding, Im looking to get a read on what I need to buy to get myself started at minimal cost.

Note that non of the locals seem to be interested in working my land either.

I have aprox 20 acres that will need to be seeded.

equipment I have:

52 Hp 4wd Tractor
Boxblade w Scrafiers
5' Bush Hog
set of old Diamond Drag Harrows

what I may need ?:

used 3 furrow plow with land wheel
used set of 10' disks
something to seed with

PS ground has alot of clay.

Do I need a plow or can i get away with just disks ?

[nybirdman]

With your current equiptment,brush-hog...you have an ATV..purchase a sprayer..round-up(kills all the weeds)..work up with box-blade(I don't believe you need to plow for grass),plant grass seed with AtV(another $150.00 or so).Grass plantings should be good for five or six years.

[MMagis]

My opinion only, your plan is WAY too much work for plain old hay. No matter what plan you go with, you need to have your soil tested. Personally I would cut the grass very low late this fall, add the recommended lime and fertilizer, and then frost seed in Feb or March. The lime/fertilizer alone will have a big impact.

[Dave5264]

Thanks for the input.

I will try the frost seed in March/April. We're usually under several feet of snow until mid march.

I do have it on plan to buy a 7' rotary cutter to speed up the mowing.

I assume I can spread lime with the same equipment as the seed ?

I did hope that I could use an ATV style spreader for the seed.

I did use the BB and Sacrifiers this past spring to re-do one small horse paddock (1/2 Acre). It appears it may work out ok to help get some seed into the soil for the bigger fields too.

I have a mounting pile of Horse manure too, Im gonna see if I can rent a manure spreader from someone locallyto get some of that on to the fields as well this fall.. I think that may help ?

[jlsmith]

I use a 6' disk and run it over the ground just enough to break the surface but not hurt the grass thats there. Then just get a 3 point seeder and you can use it to speed seed fertilizer and lime.

[MMagis]

I assume I can spread lime with the same equipment as the seed ?

You can spread pellet lime with an ATV spreader, but it will get extremely costly. I'd check with the local feed/seed store about renting a large spreader. They should be able to help.

I have a mounting pile of Horse manure too, Im gonna see if I can rent a manure spreader from someone locallyto get some of that on to the fields as well this fall.. I think that may help ?

Yes, it will help.

[smstonypoint]

You can spread pellet lime with an ATV spreader, but it will get extremely costly. I'd check with the local feed/seed store about renting a large spreader. They should be able to help.

I would check with coops/fertilizer dealers that deal with commercial ag. clients. Depending on your soil test results, you may have to add a large quantity of lime. Most dealers will spread lime/fertilizer with their spreader trucks for a reasonable fee. It would save you the time and hassle of renting a spreader and loading same.

Steve

[Dave5264]

I would check with coops/fertilizer dealers that deal with commercial ag. clients. Depending on your soil test results, you may have to add a large quantity of lime. Most dealers will spread lime/fertilizer with their spreader trucks for a reasonable fee. It would save you the time and hassle of renting a spreader and loading same.

Steve

Thanks Steve, will check into that.

[Luremaker]

Dave,

I am reseeding around 10 acres of pasture in the next two weeks. This is my plan.

• Cut grass as short as I can with my bush hog. (done)

• Spray roundup ultra 2 at 50% rate with some 2-4d for broad-leafs. I don't want to kill the grass I already have only slow it's growth until my seed can germinate.

• Make one pass with my modified rototiller (straight blades)

• Spread fertilizer with my 3ph spreader

• Spread a little fall rye with my 3ph spreader

• Make one or two passes with my disc-harrow to expose more dirt for the seed

• If needed I may run over it all with my chain harrow

• Pack it down with my cultipacker

• Spread my blend of seed (clovers, timothy, orchard grass and trefoil)

• Pack it down with my cultipacker

Depending on how it grows this fall I may frost seed next March

I used Agri-Food Laboratories for my soil test which cost $13.00 and tool less than a week for results.

http://www.agtest.com/

[MMagis]

50% strength on gly may very well still kill most of your grass. In fact, you could almost bet on it.