Dealing with poor sandy soil

   / Dealing with poor sandy soil #1  

shooterdon

Elite Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2012
Messages
3,535
Location
Near Johannesburg MI but in the middle of nowhere
Tractor
2019 LS XR4140 HST Cab; 2020 Kawasaki Mule SX; 2021 Bad Boy 54" ZT Elite
I have an area that needs work. I tried grass and clover but no success. I do not need it to be a lawn so open to almost anything. I am tired of getting covered in sand when I mow the weeds down. A grass would be good but a ground cover would work too.

pH if soil is 7.

Any ideas short of bringing in top soil and trying to establish a "lawn"?
 
   / Dealing with poor sandy soil #2  
Fertilizer and water, it will grow grass or whatever else you want.

SR
 
   / Dealing with poor sandy soil #3  
Heck, I grow alfalfa hay on blow sand all the time (remember I'm in Michigan as well). I just fertilize it regularly and not much more. Problem with sand is it's hell on discbine cutters and skid shoes as well as mower blades. I have to hard rod my skid shoes or I'd be replacing them every year.
 
   / Dealing with poor sandy soil #4  
Can you spread the sand and get vegetation growing. Any modification could be damaged during next overflow event
 
   / Dealing with poor sandy soil #5  
Plant some sweet potatoes on it.
 
   / Dealing with poor sandy soil #6  
Rye grass is inexpense and will sprout about anywhere. Down here in Fl it is a short lived “winter” crop because the sun burns it up. In Mi it might grow all summer. I think it’s an annual but could help until a fescue or bluegrass got established
 
   / Dealing with poor sandy soil #7  
Around here they plant some type of sweet pea and then disk it in. Adds organic material and nitrogen to the soil.

The following season they are planting dry land winter wheat.
 

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