Reclaiming pasture

[nickmech]

What is the best way to restore an overgrown field? I have started mowing 10 ft. high blackberries and small alders and brush. It is only about 3 acres, years ago it was a pasture but now just a jungle. Lot of debris left on ground after brushhogging. Should I get a rake and pile up to burn? And how to keep the junk from growing and get a nice pasture? Box blading seems to to help cut the stuff off at ground but does'nt kill the roots. Some have suggested hire out to spray it or use a dozer but that just makes piles of dirt. Suggestions?

 

[wushaw]

Mow it then disk the tar out of it to expose all the roots, you will still get new weeds from dormant seed so you will need to disk it several times during the summer then plant a cover crop like rye grass for winter that won't come back in the summer then disk again after you start getting all the weed seeds then plant whatever pasture seed you want.

 

[Onthesauk]

NICKMECH, I'm right in your backyard. Did the same thing a few years ago. I just started brush hogging over and over again until I've got it to the point that I can mow it with a riding mower. No matter what you do, blackberries will continue to sprout for years as will scotch broom if you've got it.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Wushaw's method will work well. Of course it is a lot of work. Are there any particular animals you want to put on this pasture or do you just want it not to be a jungle? Mowing alone would work for non-jungle, but if you want horses or cattle on it you really will be better off getting it totally clean (multiple disking, or spray) and then reseeding.

 

[3RRL]

Wushaw's suggestion would definitely work, but not only is it a lot of work, it takes some time too. That is the real way to do it though. I would think once you got it down by brush cutting, you could keep it manageable with frequent cuttings.

 

[bigballer]

welcome to my world ;-) i was brushogging 10ft high blackberries 2 yrs ago in my overgrown pnw pasture (snohomish county). some of the vines had climbed over 40 feet up into the alders/cedars. i now have most of them under control but due to many other projects haven't totally renovated the area yet. i have about 2 acres of scatter alders i am in the process of cutting down and digging out. Once that's done, i'll level as good as i can and probably disc the area and then seed. right now there are not many weeds oddly enough the grass has come back but it's still not what i want and the horses sort of ignore it so i cut it. i guess it doesn't taste as good as other grasses in the pasture. this fall i am going to harrow and overseed the "cleared" areas and see how that goes. there are not many bb growing now. if the overseeding seems to work, i'll just leave it as is. if they come back i'll have to get more intense as wushaw recommends..

Good Luck!!

 

[nickmech]

Thanks for all the advise. Using a disc sounds good. I will look for one.
I will keep at it. The Bible says to subdue the earth...

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Tillage may help...It may hinder your cause. Depends on soil conditions, climate conditions, and type(s) of undesirable plants already established.

IMHO, the best way to deal with noxious weeds is to mow, mow, mow, and mow some more. Keep them from establishing a new seed crop. Fertilize (as needed, based on soil testing) Healthy stands of grass will fill in and crowd out weeds. Finally, spray. Do so AFTER fertilizing. Healthy weeds take up more herbicide, which will spell their doom.

2 years ago, I sold my farm and moved to a smaller place. The 45 acres we have now were once a mess of weeds. The place sat empty for 2 summers. Weeds had taken over. We moved here in the early fall of '05. I mowed everything, then treated with various products based on need. Mostly 2-4,D based products for control of broadleaf weeds. But by that point, the '05 seed crop was already planted. I sprayed everything again in mid spring of '06 to get newly emerged weeds, kept everything mowed all summer, then sprayed again in the fall. This year I sprayed in the spring and have no plans (or need) to spray in the fall. Pastures are almost weed free now. Doing it this way, I never lost grass cover. Being on hilly ground, that reduced erosion. I have a power seeder reserved (rental) for this fall, along with fall and next spring fertilizing. What was 2 years ago a mass of weeds now looks like a golf course.

 

[KaiB]

To reiterate a few points already made.

You must decide what you want to seed to. At that point, condition the soil (lime or acid, fertilize), establish control (mow and spray), and then seed in.

I am slowly (as I am slow) learning that breaking ground (in this case with a heavy disk) is often not the thing to rush into. Exposed dormant seeds will cost more to control and can slow down the process of establishing good pasture.

The goal is to spend as little as necessary to establish braggin' rights on good fodder. This is true unless you really want the seat time, in which case, all options are open.

Edit to add: You do want to check with your local extension; they can help with soil testing and very well may have a no-till drill you can use.

 

[scott_vt]

IMHO, the best way to deal with noxious weeds is to mow, mow, mow, and mow some more. Keep them from establishing a new seed crop. Fertilize (as needed, based on soil testing) Healthy stands of grass will fill in and crowd out weeds. Finally, spray. Do so AFTER fertilizing. Healthy weeds take up more herbicide, which will spell their doom.

Mornin Bill,
Thats basically what I have done to my property. Just kept mowing it, it still has some weeds but even the local farmers have commented that the acreage looks much better than a few years back ! I havent got to the spraying part yet but Im sure I can make it better than it allready is ! Of course that all takes money, and you know how I hate partin with that !