Planting grass seed in a pasture

[starbrightsteve]

starbrightsteve, you must have a government job, where you walk around with a clipboard, drive a vehicle with their emblem pasted on the side, enjoy giving orders, and full of yourself!

D2Cat, nope , no gov job, no nrcs , no dept of ag surveys, no emblem, no one to order around. I graze cattle. Oh I guess I order the dogs to do some work now and then but that’s usually because they want to do too much and they get the “that will do”. But..I have no regrets calling it like it is. If you want to putz around like the OP’s sweetheart, be my guest.

 

[Trillium Farm]

The OP is fighting a loosing battle!

Pens by definition are much smaller than paddocks which in turn are smaller than pastures.

There is NO WAY one can keep a "Pen" from becoming muddy or bare if one puts animals in it, particularly hoofed animals, even astro turf would not last.

As other have said best thing is to ensure good drainage and then put in a gravelly base.

 

[GamblerAcres]

D2Cat, nope , no gov job, no nrcs , no dept of ag surveys, no emblem, no one to order around. I graze cattle. Oh I guess I order the dogs to do some work now and then but that痴 usually because they want to do too much and they get the 鍍hat will do? But..I have no regrets calling it like it is. If you want to putz around like the OP痴 sweetheart, be my guest.

You're not calling anything. You need to re-read my original post because it obviously went over your head.

 

[GamblerAcres]

The OP is fighting a loosing battle!

Pens by definition are much smaller than paddocks which in turn are smaller than pastures.

There is NO WAY one can keep a "Pen" from becoming muddy or bare if one puts animals in it, particularly hoofed animals, even astro turf would not last.

As other have said best thing is to ensure good drainage and then put in a gravelly base.

You need to review my original post as well. Thanks for telling me something I already know.

 

[goeduck]

Is there a chill emoticon?
Found it :chillpill: everyone take one.

:thumbsup: :drink:

 

[TheMadOne]

So my question isn't exactly about hay but I figure all you hay experts know a thing or two about planting grass in a pasture.

I have about 4 acres which have been completely decimated by horses. The pasture is flat, clay rich soil which holds water and takes a long time to dry out, even in the warm summer months of southwest ohio. Drainage is horrible and I'm sure it's pretty well compacted from the horses. Because of these conditions the horses have turned this grazing pasture into a giant mud lot.

It was used for hay by a local farmer before we moved in so I know it can grow grass. I have a Kubota MX5200 w/fel and a box blade but no planting related attachments.

My question is, assuming the horses are removed, what's the easiest/cheapest way to plant new grass? Is there a single, do-it-all implement I can rent?

The correct way to do it:
Rent a drill from your local exension/co-op. Drill whatever grass you want.

A no expense option:
Hook up the box blade, put the shanks down as far as they go, shorten the top link to the shortest you can. You now have a passable chisel plow. Just keep an eye on it to make sure that the box doesn't contact the ground by working the 3pt position. Start making passes. You should be able to break up the surface well enough to broadcast grass seed. Then flip the shanks up, lengthen the top link so the front blade doesn't dig in and go around again, using the box blade as a cultipacker, or just tractorpack, using your wheels to ensure ground/seed contact. If you're feeling fancy and your box blade is set up for it you could flip your shanks backwards and use the heel to add lines like an actual cultipacker.