Hay field rejuvenation

[PROFarms]

So for the last 2 years one of my hayfields has had a very poor yield compared to its previous yields. I have treated the field in exactly the same way as always and have had the soil tested and have put on the correct fertiliser. I was wondering if anyone on here could let me know what the best way to deal with this problem is as i have tried to speak to some local companies and they are clueless!

Is it best to reseed the field and if so then what is the best way to do it? I am fairly limited as to what machinery i can use in the field as the only tractor we have which will fit through the gate is a 19hp Yanmar and a 22hp Kubota so none of our larger tractors can be used in there. Is it worth me purchasing a disc harrow or trying to rent one from a local farmer or should i plow it?

Thanks

 

[flusher]

What type of hay: grass, grain, alfalfa, other?
Do you actually plant a crop or just fertilize, mow and bale the native grass?
How thick is your good topsoil?
Around here the topsoil is thin (4-6") so we use an offset disc/spike harrow combination to prepare for seeding.

 

[PROFarms]

What type of hay: grass, grain, alfalfa, other?
Do you actually plant a crop or just fertilize, mow and bale the native grass?
How thick is your good topsoil?
Around here the topsoil is thin (4-6") so we use an offset disc/spike harrow combination to prepare for seeding.

The hay is grass hay and we do occasionally overseed the field the same as the others but has not worked for past couple times. Our topsoil is approx 8-10" and

 

[JimRB]

Your soil tests say the PH is good? Where I live which I would guess has totally different soil, the standard test often will say add X tons of lime per acre.

Grass means fescue, rye, bermuda, orchard grass, Bahia, Centipede and Zoysia where I live. Hay made from fescue, bermuda, orchard grass, Bahia and rye. What kind of grass grows in your fields?

I will pull a drag chain harrow after overseeding which seems to help the seed get closer contact with the dirt.

 

[Firemanbuck]

I am fairly limited as to what machinery i can use in the field as the only tractor we have which will fit through the gate is a 19hp Yanmar and a 22hp Kubota

Build a bigger gate!

 

[PROFarms]

Build a bigger gate!

don't you think id thought of that!! The gate is so small as there are two buildings either side of it and it used to be an old horse track so never was needed to be very wide - only as wide as the horse itself - its only a 5' gate!

 

[blueriver]

don't you think id thought of that!! The gate is so small as there are two buildings either side of it and it used to be an old horse track so never was needed to be very wide - only as wide as the horse itself - its only a 5' gate!

I agree build a bigger gate .. Put it somewhere else in the fence line ... Anyway .. I had the same problem on 20 acres I fertilized per the soil samples sprayed weeds and simply put each yr it continued to get worse. Last yr I just took it upon myself to take the 3 bottom plow and turn it under as deep as I could ... Long story short I then fertilized to the soil sample planted wheat .. Took 41 bushel wheat and today the Bermuda grass in the wheat stubble is thick .. I'll cut it in a couple weeks .. I think turning it under is the way to go.

 

[PROFarms]

Grass means fescue, rye, bermuda, orchard grass, Bahia, Centipede and Zoysia where I live. Hay made from fescue, bermuda, orchard grass, Bahia and rye. What kind of grass grows in your fields?
I will pull a drag chain harrow after overseeding which seems to help the seed get closer contact with the dirt.

To be perfectly honest I'm not sure what sort of grass is in that field :/
We do always go over with a chain harrow after overseeding because like you say it does help the seed get closer to the dirt. Often we put lime on but we normally take a rough guess of how much to apply

 

[PROFarms]

So i spoke to father about a new gate and it turns out that the field with the bad yield and all the ones it leads too are on a lease for 15 years and in the contract it states we are not able to make any modifications to the hedgerow boundaries so a new gate is out of the question.
Anyway i think we may end up having to do that and plow the field in question. not sure on best way then to plant as we can't get our 3m seeder into the field - may have to hire one from somewhere

 

[redman135]

probably a dumb question , is there access through some one else's place to these fields?
Also how long does the lease have to run? Is there a "review" clause in the lease? At 15 years I would expect 2 or more reviews. Bring up the matter of alternate access at the next review. If you can put in a larger gate fit a 14' gate to future proof things.