Reseeding with existing seed heads from grasses and hay

[new jersey mike]

Hello,

This may seem like an odd question but I believe you can pull off the mature
seed head of a grass/hay and use that to reseed a bare spot.

I have opened up an old field that was well overgrown for at least 30 years and
in the center there are bare areas or just weeds growing. I do not want the
expense to purchase seed, an attachment for my tractor or pay someone. My wife
and I enjoy filling shopping bags from our other fields that are actively hayed
and have a great mix of northeast and native grasses, clover and flowers, then
going to the other field and throwing out the seed.

Now I now this is not a perfect process, some seed will be loss to birds, animal
and such but some of it will grow and each year I brush hog it will turn back
into a semi decent pasture/field.

So is this correct or am I wrong and wasting our time? Although, the time spent
walking and pulling very rest full and fun, at lease I think so,

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Localmotion]

Hi Mike

Yes it will work - although a little prep would help... We did this about ten years ago in the UK, on some land which was in Stewardship (a government eco scheme, whereby we couldn't seed anything other than the indiginous species of the area).

What we did was as follows:

When the time was right, we cut an adjoing field (also in stewardship) for hay - we took a late cut, so that the grass was already seeding. This was left to dry naturally, with no turning or raking (to avoid loosing the seed).

Meanwhile we chain harrowed the section to be seeded to provide a shallow (and very course) seedbed.

As the area we had to seed was quite large, we used a side flail muckspeader filled with some of the cut hay to fling out over the areas necessary. The spreader works well as it helps seperate the seed, and scatter it randomly. Afterwards we irrigated - and then luckily got some rain to help germination.

The method worked well - although we did have to repeat it the next year to "top up" what we had previously done.

Of course you don't need the muck spreader - and could of course collect and spread by hand.... The key thing is to make sure there ground is loose where the seed is to be spread, and the seed is ready to shed from the stem.

Good luck - please do take some photos so we can see how you get on :thumbsup:

 

[vtsnowedin]

Growing up we farmed with horses and put up ripe hay loose into the hay lofts. When the loft was empty in the spring there would be a layer of seed and chaff on the floor boards a few inches thick. My father would take some of this and pour it past a fan to separate the seed from the chaff. Then on a plowed and harrowed plot he would broadcast first oat seed then his saved hay seed and drag it smooth with a stone boat made of planks chained sideways behind the team. You stood in the stone boat and used the lines to the horses to keep your balance and by leaning from one side to the other steer the boat to keep it square. The oats would come up first and get hayed when green and the timothy and red clover in the hay seed would come after in and produce a good stand.
The only problem with this is that any weed seeds that are in your hay will get an excellent start in your new ground and the mix your going to get in your new ground is going to be no better then the ground the hayseed came from. Better to buy a bag of oats and a bag of the variety of clean weed free seed that you want to grow and start off on the right foot.

 

[smstonypoint]

Mike,

Most states have native plant societies: North American Native Plant Society - Native Plant Societies. You may want to visit the society sites for NJ and NY -- they may have specific info on the species you are trying to propagate.

Good luck.

Steve

 

[new jersey mike]

Thank you for your replies, very helpful.

Quick question on adding black eyed susan flower and blanket flower seeds and to a pasture, are they bad or dangerous in feed hay?

 

[Ed of all trades]

If you keep the area cliped and spread some manure or fertlizer, lime you will get there faster . the problem is in the food for the grass more than lack of seed. spreading the grass seed wont hurt.