First timer- field prep for field grass

[AKfish]

Looks great! Ready to grow. :thumbsup:

I've gotten lazy in the past about packing/not packing and have even used my 3-wheeler to pack the field. One year, I used my JD110TLB with the hoe off and the loader bucket off and packed a small field that I had rototilled and planted.

The 110 has R4 tires so, they're flatter and not so aggressive and I figured the tractor wouldn't compact things too awful bad... Well, long story - short; got a great stand, good germination - darn horses pocked it up, pulled up the grass, etc. etc. when I turned them into it late in the fall!

So, the next Spring I hand filled in the holes and raked and replanted and rolled the crap outta it with that HEAVY roller. That fall; after the first killing frost - the grass did just fine with the horses on it.

AKfish

 

[sd455dan]

Looks great! Ready to grow. :thumbsup:

I've gotten lazy in the past about packing/not packing and have even used my 3-wheeler to pack the field. One year, I used my JD110TLB with the hoe off and the loader bucket off and packed a small field that I had rototilled and planted.

The 110 has R4 tires so, they're flatter and not so aggressive and I figured the tractor wouldn't compact things too awful bad... Well, long story - short; got a great stand, good germination - darn horses pocked it up, pulled up the grass, etc. etc. when I turned them into it late in the fall!

So, the next Spring I hand filled in the holes and raked and replanted and rolled the crap outta it with that HEAVY roller. That fall; after the first killing frost - the grass did just fine with the horses on it.

AKfish

Thanks , but I think I'm about to ask a remedial question
On the (horse field in the last post), she wants to over seed it- but even though we know it probably needs lime, planning on just overseeding it (tight budget) . that being said- is the process ? (from how that field is tilled and disced in the picture)
broadcast seed, then till?-can't be? can it?., then compact, and watch it grow
or is it- ,overseed, and she has done this before- lightly cover the seeded area with scattered hay and once wet seemed to keep the seed in place? but then eventually the horse will tear it up and pock mark it into oblivion this fall.. I got to admit from here on out I'm a little lost on the best order and the best way to actually seed the field, and the compaction part,
Sorry this post is probably not well worded.. one more thing I think my sister may have a slit style 6-8' wide fertilizer spreader, think it may need a tire - will check into this In the next couple days -for the actual threads field

thanks everybody for the all the help, and encouraging words I really do appreciate it dan

 

[vtsnowedin]

Thanks , but I think I'm about to ask a remedial question
On the (horse field in the last post), she wants to over seed it- but even though we know it probably needs lime, planning on just overseeding it (tight budget) . that being said- is the process ? (from how that field is tilled and disced in the picture)
broadcast seed, then till?-can't be? can it?., then compact, and watch it grow
or is it- ,overseed, and she has done this before- lightly cover the seeded area with scattered hay and once wet seemed to keep the seed in place? but then eventually the horse will tear it up and pock mark it into oblivion this fall.. I got to admit from here on out I'm a little lost on the best order and the best way to actually seed the field, and the compaction part,
Sorry this post is probably not well worded.. one more thing I think my sister may have a slit style 6-8' wide fertilizer spreader, think it may need a tire - will check into this In the next couple days -for the actual threads field

thanks everybody for the all the help, and encouraging words I really do appreciate it dan

Just top dressing the field with lime and fertilizer will improve the stand of grass that is there now.

 

[sd455dan]

The #s from the soil test are in!!???? I'm guessing the soil is acidic, just as every one thought , will call the extension office as requested by the lab for explanation of findings and report their recommendations

 

[crowbar032]

Thanks , but I think I'm about to ask a remedial question
On the (horse field in the last post), she wants to over seed it- but even though we know it probably needs lime, planning on just overseeding it (tight budget) . that being said- is the process ? (from how that field is tilled and disced in the picture)
broadcast seed, then till?-can't be? can it?., then compact, and watch it grow
or is it- ,overseed, and she has done this before- lightly cover the seeded area with scattered hay and once wet seemed to keep the seed in place? but then eventually the horse will tear it up and pock mark it into oblivion this fall.. I got to admit from here on out I'm a little lost on the best order and the best way to actually seed the field, and the compaction part,
Sorry this post is probably not well worded.. one more thing I think my sister may have a slit style 6-8' wide fertilizer spreader, think it may need a tire - will check into this In the next couple days -for the actual threads field

thanks everybody for the all the help, and encouraging words I really do appreciate it dan

Looks like you already have everything tilled up nicely. Generally the seed is scattered (3-point broadcast spreader or drop seeder) then run over with a cultipacker to get the seed in contact with the soil. The old timers around here who couldn't afford much equipement would scatter the seed then VERY LIGHTLY go over it with the disc. VERY LIGHTLY....as in only let the blades of the disc go into the soil like 1 inch. I want to make sure you read VERY LIGHTLY again or you will bury your seed too deep and it will not germinate. Then after everything germinated and got somewhat established, they would go back over and put lime and fertilizer on. Just make sure it's dry so you don't rut up your nice field.

 

[AKfish]

The #s from the soil test are in!!????View attachment 312517 I'm guessing the soil is acidic, just as every one thought , will call the extension office as requested by the lab for explanation of findings and report their recommendations

Yep.. you've got acidic soils. pH of 7 is neutral. Lower values are acidic and higher numbers above 7 are alkaline. You're gonna need to lime it and/or use a fertilizer blend that is sulfate based and provides positive ions (+) to the soil that will neutralize the negative ions (-) that are present in excess with acidic soils.

Regarding overseeding: I have broadcast timothy seed with my fertilizer application in the late fall on my hay fields and have gotten good results with that - new growth and a thicker stand. The key is too allow the new grass enough time to grow and establish a root base that will 1.) provide energy reserves for regrowth after grazing and 2.) strong enough - large enough that horses won't pull the whole plant outta the ground!

That's hard to accomplish with standing fields... you want/need to use the acreage; but, the new plants need time.

The easiest method is to rent/borrow a no-till drill or an overseeder drill. Landscapers and garden supply businesses will sometimes rent overseeders. NRSC offices in Alaska provide no-till drills for rent to landowner's for pasture and hay field improvements.

AKfish

 

[sd455dan]

Got to meet with the Extension Educator, and was very helpful in working out the quantities of the chemicals , to be applied
they punch the size of the field in length x width= just under an acre, then the amount of lime to bring the field back to a ph of 7.0 worked out to just about a ton. The local Co-Op sells the re-usable poly bags of 1000 lbs. of lime so will be picking up 2 of those , the purity has to be near 100% to use those #s or recalculated by %age,
organic matter at 7.3% was ok ,the Ammonium, was ok and also the Nitrate


The K -potassium was also plenty ,actually high, and finally the Phosphorous was low at 2.5 ppm need to apply 30lbs. once a year to this field...to the 3rd year and i guess ( if memory serves -this one lasts for a few years once it's up)


Ok the costs that I have checked - lime 1000lbs. poly bag $143.82 x 2 =287.64+tax=$304.90
haven't checked phosphorous yet

$75.00 a day for a pull behind roller and have not picked out the seed for sure Educator suggested the blue grass mix / wife not crazy about that one... TBD..


Also picked up the fertilizer spreader from sister (going to need work- flat tire , the pto driven belt drive is heavily corroded and frozen) ,it was getting dark ,need to unload and pressure wash and check it out I believe its a King??
Anyway- that's where everything stands today, and it's getting late will update when more progress progresses

 

[paulemar]

Ok the costs that I have checked - lime 1000lbs. poly bag $143.82 x 2 =287.64+tax=$304.90
haven't checked phosphorous yet

Maybe I'm missing something, but that sounds a bit high for lime to me. I can get pelletized lime retail from Tractor Supply for $3.99 a 40 lb. bag. 25 of those is 1000 lbs. and costs $100 plus tax. I just did this same thing and being as it's pelletized, I easily spread it with my Brinly pull behind spreader.

 

[sd455dan]

Maybe I'm missing something, but that sounds a bit high for lime to me. I can get pelletized lime retail from Tractor Supply for $3.99 a 40 lb. bag. 25 of those is 1000 lbs. and costs $100 plus tax. I just did this same thing and being as it's pelletized, I easily spread it with my Brinly pull behind spreader.

That's great- if the price is lower, the price quoted is from calling the local Co-Op. I just assumed they would be the most reasonable, and have to pay a fee for the two polly bags until they are returned...
We also have a (big R) store and Home depot guess I will check with them.. and their price, the lime from Co-Op is dolomite/ lime the other way it is sold is by 50lb. bags atc$10.85 each or $9.30 each 10 or more, but that is even more money...
does the lime you bought have a purity rating on it? Not sure if the lime qouted here is ground or pelletized

The fertilizer spreader pto was froze solid got it broken loose but when I rotated the shaft in the direction the PTO runs it immediately ran one of the belts off of the idler pulley- will pull it apart , no one knows exactly how long ago it was used and the drop rate control needs work (bent up and frozen) anyway thanks for the heads up on the pricing - hoping this is not related to geographical location...

 

[AKfish]

I'm about to put in an order for 8 tons of lime. I got a quote from the largest Ag supplier in the State and the Pelletized lime is $485/ton, the Ag lime is $295/ton and a coarse, granulated Ag lime is $250/ton. It will cost me an additional $35/ton to have it trucked down to my place from Anchorage - 165 miles.

Based on what I'm paying - it looks like you're paying too much! Or, it's not really Ag lime..

AKfish

 

[Wagtail]

Good Lord! The price of lime over there is staggering!!! I'm in the queue for the "Limers" to come and do my paddocks (5 acres approx.) + my neighbours (additional 10 acres) sometime this Autumn... it's whenever they're in the area. My land has been fallow for over 25 years so I'm going to have 2 tonnes per acre applied to mine. The short story is that they've roughly quoted A$75 - 80 per tonne.

Like AKfish (although not on the same scale), Tasmania is an Island State and has a transport/delivery cost from the mainland + I'm at least a 3 hr drive from the shipping port. Yet the cost of my lime sounds like they're giving it away compared to yours.

What am I missing here? The Aussie dollar is only 5 cents higher than the US$.

 

[AKfish]

Good Lord!

What am I missing here? The Aussie dollar is only 5 cents higher than the US$.

I think that you're failing to appreciate one of the finer points of - GREED!

Smart business people invest the time and effort to understand their market and how/when/where/why customers are "recruited" to their businesses. They also recognize that it's not always a good long-term strategy to wrest every possible dollar from prospective customers because they don't typically continue to be a customer.

But, if you're greedy and dumb or your father gave you the business... well, you most likely don't give a **** if a particular customer keeps walking through your door. There's always gonna be somebody else.

AKfish

 

[sd455dan]

Figured out the problem, with the belt running off the idler pulley on the spreader. See anything wrong with the belt on the right?
At some point someone reversed the belt direction on the right side. looking at this picture PTO turns clockwise the lime would be hitting the back side of L during rotation, the left side lime would fall on the inside of the L (as it should) a few other problems solved and its ready to go.

Looked around locally and couldn't find the $3.99 for 40#bags . Gave up and picked up the 2 1000# bags, glad I did to, because they only had 3 and one was reserved for someone else. Still don't enjoy paying retail plus 38%? So got them home and got the spreader hooked up and tested ...so tomorrow going to go for it , and then get it disced in (4-5 inches..)
Still have to figure out the lbs. per acre at mph @ 540 pto (now if I can find the chinese Tractors gear KPH, to MPH conversion)

 

[sd455dan]

Lime is spread and disced in, Changed the color of the field again. Reverted after working the field with the disc, tried for about 4-6 inches depth. Need to pack and seed the field still, and then final pack. And it's raining lightly today so I may try a 2 x 6 drag i used for the garages site, if that fails I have some large diameter logs that I may try to (Flintstone car) by making one into a roller. and if that fails going to just drag the field with the log(s) Decided that the $75 is to much for one day rental for a small roller packer. Still smarting from the lime..

The extension educator said he likes to see the 1/4 inch imprint test when walking on the packed field ( i couldn't help busting out laughing, after thinking of how soft, the tilled areas were) after running an old spike harrow over the field and rain we got recently, I was pleasantly surprised to only sink in about 2 inches or so.. but know I need more compaction.. Will post back when I get the seed and get close to finished:thumbsup:

 

[AKfish]

Glad to hear that everything is coming together and you're just about ready to sit back and watch things turn green! Like to see some later pics on your fields when they're growin' and green. Hopefully, the rains will hold off just a bit.. and then give your new fields a good drink! :thumbsup:

Just finalized my fertilizer and lime order. Changed my final mix on the fert to 20-10-10-8s and it cost $848/ton delivered to a point about 20 miles from my place. The lime worked out to be $280/ton delivered to the same location.

AKfish

 

[sd455dan]

AKfish This definitely is an education in economics of field care, my wife and I used to complain about the price of hay.
Now when we purchase what truly is quality hay, I'm going to take into account what it cost us just to get a small field -part way to growing hay and remind myself what it costs the producer... and thank them.

Do you have to transfer the load and then do the application of the fertilizer and lime yourself?? Or do you pay a separate charge after completion by provider??

 

[sd455dan]

Well my flinstone roller idea got exchanged for a box blade weighted log instead,started to think the logs weight would not be enough so took this old log ,cut two blade widths on top of each other and then repeated them on the other end. It's kind of (backwoods) with the tie downs and scrap wood as insulators but it works so far
The first lap I just put a little weight on the log (old Gannon -weighs 1000#) and by the 4th lap could load it pretty heavy-the tractor started to hop a bit in 4x4, so just raised the 3 point a little bit getting dark and raining now, but would like to try the draft control and see if it can modulate the pressure... most places I walked on are at about 1/2 inch imprint so still a little ways to go but getting there. going to buy some seed tommorrow :thumbsup:

 

[AKfish]

AKfish This definitely is an education in economics of field care, my wife and I used to complain about the price of hay.
Now when we purchase what truly is quality hay, I'm going to take into account what it cost us just to get a small field -part way to growing hay and remind myself what it costs the producer... and thank them.

Do you have to transfer the load and then do the application of the fertilizer and lime yourself?? Or do you pay a separate charge after completion by provider??

It's a bunch of work and money... (Just think what it's like when you start with trees!!) Yeah, I'll go and pick it up and trailer the loads (2 probably) and apply both (fert and lime) to my fields.

AKfish

 

[sd455dan]

The seed has been picked paid for and now needs to be mixed, We ended up buying a 25 lb. bag of this
28lbs. of OrchardGrass Paiute
25lbs. of Climax Timothy.

The plan is to mix the three bags of seed together and use the pto driven seeder. Seeding the main field and then switching to the wifes horse field and then if some seed is left doing the small tilled area also.. the spreader lbs. per acre varies quite a bit depending on which seed is being broadcast.. so it will be an approximation for sure...but by the application lbs. per acre should be plenty.

We decided on the majority seed being the Timothy and Paiute after talking to the farmer we get our round bales from ( he grows his hay about a mile from our place) and the horses love his hay mix and according to him this is what grows best in this particular area..
I spent the afternoon dragging fields and got our lawn tractor and water filled roller ready if needed to pack the seed.
So if everything goes well and no other interruptions come up ( been a few lately) should be seeded and packed tommorrow. :thumbsup::drink: HOPE I am not forgetting anything...

 

[sparc]

You've probably found this by now but 1KPH equals 0.62138 (0.62137119223733396961743418436332) MPH

Microsoft Calculator Plus does all sorts of conversions for velocity, area, length, temperature, power, etc.

Another version, the XP Powertoys Calculator, is available here along with some of the other XP Powertoys. Image resizer is a handy one ot have too. Some of these will run on Vista, not sure about Win7 or Win8.

Windows XP downloads - Microsoft Windows