Chain Harrow in Fescue. HOW TALL?

DennisArrow · Apr 30, 2013

This is the type of chain harrow I can get:

chain harrow - Yahoo! Search Results

This is the outfit and seeds I have:

:: Welcome to Sims Brothers, Inc. ::

They recommend 25 lbs per acre but I am gonna do 50.

OldNOrnery · Apr 30, 2013

I'm not familiar with that species. Isn't it late for pasture grass germination? I've had good luck over-seeding existing pasture. The key is timing for germination in your climate and location. Our county extension is 100% spot on for timing, down to a 2 week window in early October and again in early March.

I wiped out established pasture using a Landpride box scraper like this:
BB15 Series Box Scrapers | Land Pride

First I mowed it really close. I ran the 6 foot drag harrow over it in the aggressive direction, thinking that would be enough.
http://www.behlencountry.com/images/339/images/catalog/63/3018264_full.jpg

All that did was make the pasture happier. So I ran over it with the box scraper with the shanks set not deep, maybe 2 1/2 inches. That scalped the pasture grasses pretty good. Then I ran the drag harrow over it again, a couple of times in each direction, still set on the most aggressive direction. It's mostly dirt out there now, a few old pasture grasses poking up. I didn't drag out the grass or clods. With pasture, I've never had a problem leaving clods and organic matter on the ground. Grasses don't care. The clods will dissolve in the rain, the organic matter will decompose before summer.

whistlepig · Apr 30, 2013

DennisArrow said:
My USDA agent is looking for a smaller one used for food plots that should work on my B7610 23HP Kubota.
Like Bermuda, one plants Lespedeza in the very late spring, a warm weather sowing seed, so the fall won't work. The pasture that I am refering to is on a 15 to 20 degree slope. The local guys that hire out tractor work and have seed drills, harvest hay, row crops, etc totally back off when they see the slope.

I do bush hog a couple of times a year, run my land pride finish mower over it in the fall to mulch the leaves, and drive my RTV across the slopes, SLOWLY, on a regular basis. Yes, I go up and down the slopes on the tractor and if I find a no-till drill will end up going UP and DOWN with a careful turn around at the top. For erosion purposes I am hesitant to do this; but hopefully the fescue will hold the soil until the lespedeza takes hold. I guess for now.......rent the chain harrow, drag it with the RTV 3 or 4 times and see what happens..............Any other thoughts?????................God bless.......Dennis

I think you will be disappointed with the results from a tine harrow for the task you are describing. Good luck with your project. Please let us know how it turns out.

J35 · Apr 30, 2013

DennisArrow said:
I am getting ready to sow Lespedeza into my established fescue pasture. This pasture is on the side of a hill with perhaps a 15 to 18 degree slope. My plan is to use a chain harrow to prepare the soil before I sow the seed and then turn the harrow over and go over the sown seed again to kind of "bed" it in.

The question is:
Right now the fescue is perhaps 6" to 10" and pretty thick. Should I use a mower or bush hog to get it as low as possible before I harrow??? Not asking what implement but how high YOU think it should be. Or is it a problem???.

I have never used a chair harrow before so really I have no knowledge on how much it will dig out clumps of grass or what, so any thoughts you can give would be a help. NO I am not gonna disc, drill, or till. The slope is too great to do this and am gonna try the harrow.

THANKS........God bless......Dennis

For best results you really need seed/soil contact.

A drill would be best, second would be mow/ graze short then go over it with a plug aerator several times, then go over it with the chain harrow smooth side down, then broadcast your seed and go over it again with the chain harrow and x your fingers for a light rain. I have done it this way on hilly ground in the past, with both Korean and Kolby.

Another way that works if you have horse manure and a Newer-spreader is to mix the seed into the manure and spread it, the manure act as the loose soil until the seed germinates.

Option three is if your fescue is well established you could lightly disc it in bands or strips 4,5 or 6 ft wide get your seed spread and covered and wait till the lespedeza has jumped and then disc the other strips that you left untouched and seed them. If you lightly disc you are not going to hurt your fescue and erosion would not be a concern because the fescue roots are still there to hold the soil, you just need a little loose soil exposed among the fescue for your seed.

I have seeded lespedeza as late as mid July in Eastern VA grazed it and still had it make seed before frost in late Oct. and had a good stand the following summer all volunteer.

Our sheep are not crazy about it until it matures and even then they don't mow it down, our horses never touched it till after frost.

It's easy to grow with a little soil contact.

good luck---J