Meadow management: where can I get advice?

[IslandTractor]

I am reclaiming an old meadow from years of benign neglect and lots of brush/briar/sapling overgrowth. I'd like to maintain the 4 acres or so as a low maintenance field and need advice on how best to go about it. I am close to being done with the clearing of brush etc and what is left is now patchy areas of sparce grass mixed with areas of weeds and new bramble shoots. I am saving some larger trees and blueberry bushes so this is not a true open field. The soil is rather sandy (result of poor farming practices by our colonial forefathers) and abutts a saltwater bay in Rhode Island. Photo attached of the land shows mowed area and now removed overgrowth in background.

How can I determine what the best land management practices would be? I don't want a lawn, just some healthy meadow grass that I can mow roughly twice a month during growing season to keep the tick population under control (Lyme disease issues here). The land is on an island so it is expensive to bring in manure or other organic fertilizers. What can I do to build up the soil gradually so the meadow grass is healthy enough to resist summer heat/dry conditions etc. What type of grass should I overseed with so I don't need to water etc like with a new lawn?

I don't know if TBN is the right place to be looking for advice so if anyone knows of a similar forum that is more appropriate I'd appreciate the referral. Thanks.
Ed

 

[SPIKER]

Nice view island tractor;

for land medo management have you tried the state DNR? I know mo has a pretty good one and I blive there is some good info availalbe on Ohio DNR and Virginai state DNR site too. I think Mich also has a fairly good one.



lots of prairy grasses like to be burnt off too. not sure about you're area but was a practice out in MO and KS when I was there. but are all controlled burns , we do them here some too. usually only once or twice in 10 yrs though and rough cut management 1~2 times a year. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif



mark M

 

[Egon]

Get some soil tests and add the appropriate ingredients. Then turn it under and work it till its all black and smooth. Then sow grass that is appropriate for your area and will fit in with your mowing plans. Do yearly soil tests and keep everything at the required levels.

Can't comment on grass as it is an unfamiliar area.

Egon

 

[jcotta]

Hi Ed,

The University of Rhode Island has a great turf management program. You should test the ph of your soil before you do anything.

Try this link http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/soiltest.html

Samples go to UMASS as both colleges work together. You should try and find a grass that works well near salt water and slice and over seed once you have the correct ph. Salt over spray can kill grass real quickly. I spent 12 years working for a landscaper in Little Compton during high school and college.

My wife things I am going back into the landscaping business. I picked had my John Deere 4600 delivered from VT today. That goes with my Ford 150, John Deere LX 277, Cub Cadet 1100, Stihl 270 and 440, power tiller, york rake and brush hog , Stihl 320 back blower and many other miscellaneous necessities. Now I need a pole barn to store it all.

Let me know how you make out with the tests. I will try and research some different types of seed. I only got to drive tractor 50 feet today into a garage. No seat time untill after 4/15/06 when I finish tax season. Seems like forever

John

 

[MossRoad]

Try your county extension office, too. They are very helpful here in Indiana.

 

[jeffinsgf]

Your state conservation department or department of natural resources should have informantion on how to return the area to its natural state. In MO the state will even reimburse part of the cost. I just planted 3 acres in prairie grass and wildflowers.

 

[IslandTractor]

Thanks to all of you for advice. I will get in touch with the Rhode Island turf management and DNR people to find out more specific advice on soil testing and appropriate grass types to seed.

While I am on the subject, what is the best way to go about reseeding or overseeding in this situation. One of you recommended something that sounded like tilling the whole place up and that sounds like a lot of work. I was hoping to learn something like 1) get a landscape rake, run over the property with it. 2) get a broadcast seeder, load it up, run over the property. 3) sit back, have a few beers and watch the grass grow. Are you guys going to make me do real work here? /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Egon]

There will be many different opinions on seedbed preparation. Your DNR contacts may also be able to help on this.

I'm always on the cultivation side as there will be less competion for the new grass. It should also give you a smoother field which makes mowing more enjoyable.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[IslandTractor]

Egon, thanks. But you are the one that wants me to do real work here. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I need to hear what the lazybones approach to this field might be. Besides I don't own a tiller (or a rake but the rake is cheaper).

I will keep your suggestions in mind however for when it is time to redo the lawn around the summer house. That is only a half acre or less. I just cannot see tilling 4 acres this spring.

Thanks anyway but I hope someone has an easier quicker acceptable solution. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[1bush2hog]

If I were you I would wait a year or two before you do anything other than mow. You may be surprised at the results.

I reclaimed some old pasture land two years ago that had about 20-25 years of neglect - I sprayed some areas that have invasives with herbicide, but have found that the grass came back very nicely - haven't fertilized or limed either.

Mowing pature two times per motnh maybe too much in the hot season.

Get some free range chickens to control the ticks. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[HammerFour]

Control the brush and weeds with mowing and weed killing spray 2,4-d or similar.

Overseed with some pasture/grass mix with legumes ( clover, etc ) to get a good mix of plants in the meadows. The legumes are very important as they will fix nitrogen into the soil from the air and help the grasses grow. This time of year is a great time to do your overseeding....

Keep up your mowing and spraying for a year or two and you will see a huge change in the grasses growing.

We did this process on our property since we bought it in late 2002, it was overrun with weeds in the pasture areas and brush along the creek. Now we have lots of good grass and legumes, the mowing and spraying has eliminated almost all the weeds ( and I have only sprayed the entire property once, I have a couple areas that were the worst that have been sprayed twice ).

 

[jeffinsgf]

If it is allowed, your first and most productive move might be a controlled burn. It is amazing how nice a field comes back after is has been burned. A landscape rake is not likely to do what you want. It will pull the thatch out, but it makes a mess with it when the rake gets full. The end result is that you just move the thatch around without every getting rid of it. Tillage will yield a completely new environment, but it doesn't sound like that is your goal.

My "lazybones" approach in your shoes would be:

1) Controlled burn.
2) Spot treatment of the most offensive briars with Round-Up.
3) Mow more often the first couple of summers (this will kill the weeds and briars).
4) Enjoy the frosty beverages.

 

[IslandTractor]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If I were you I would wait a year or two before you do anything other than mow. Mowing pature two times per motnh maybe too much in the hot season. Get some free range chickens to control the ticks. )</font> <font color="blue"> </font>

Now that's the kind of advice I was hoping for. Go Dawgs!!

I may need to do a bit of overseeding in areas that were truly taken over by brambles for years as other big ugly weed types seem to be coming up faster than any grass species. On the other hand I was careful not to mow too much last fall when I noticed that the native grasses were coming to seed so maybe those seeds will sprout this spring.

The chicken idea is a good one but has already been recommended by our neighhood fox. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I actually don't mow exactly every two weeks but rather when the grass gets up about 8-10 inches high so I agree biweekly cutting not needed from mid July/mid Sept up here.

Thanks again.

 

[IslandTractor]

<font color="blue"> My "lazybones" approach in your shoes would be:

1) Controlled burn.
2) Spot treatment of the most offensive briars with Round-Up.
3) Mow more often the first couple of summers (this will kill the weeds and briars).
4) Enjoy the frosty beverages.
</font>

Well, if you saw our volunteer fire dept (known affectionately as the Prudence Island Chimney Saving Society) and understood the history of the island (many homes burned accidentally), I am sure you'd agree that #1 won't work here. However, I'm on board with trying #2 and #3 just as soon as I finish #4. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks again to all.

 

[Egon]

I am giving you the lazy bones approach!

It's "pay me now or pay me later"

If you want a proper result you have to put in the Up Front Work! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[tat2z1969]

Well I have had this farm for 55 years and another we maintain in Maine. I would plant Buckwheat, it shadows the under growth and keeps it from growing and before the Buckwheat goes to seed mow it over or plow it under, Then I would plant Rye and keep it mowed. We keep about 400 acres clean this way, snow and cold does not kill Rye.

 

[1bush2hog]

The problem with Roundup is that it kills everything (supposedly) /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

There are other products out there like Remedy that will take care of the broadleafs and some other invasives, but won't harm most grass.

A controlled burn, like someone else mentioned, will take care of the ticks - maybe you can try this next winter after reducing the height of current growth and therefore the intensity of the fire

Of course, your results may vary /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[IslandTractor]

I dunno. Hard work might pay off after time but laziness always pays off now. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I think I may partner with Mother Nature on this one rather than fight her every inch of the way. I've already been doing battle with the overgrowth for the past two years.

Besides, I don't want a golf course, just some varied grasses and ground cover to fill in between blueberry bushes. I'll have another beer and think about it some more.

But thanks guys for all the useful tips. I'll let you know what happens.

 

[jeffinsgf]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The problem with Roundup is that it kills everything (supposedly) /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif )</font>

That's not quite right. It kills everything that is green and actively growing. Dormant plants are not affected at all. Most briars are tough to kill with Remedy and other selective treatments. Spot treatment with glysophate (the stuff in RoundUp) may leave a small brown patch of dead grass around the dead briar, but if your grass is healthy, it will fill in pretty fast. The briars may just laugh at the selective treatment.

The other side of that is that you can pour a whole bottle of undiluted glysophate on a briar in the winter or spring before it starts leafing out, and it won't do a thing. The key to using glysophate is to time its application so that the desirable plants are dormant and the undesirable plants are active.

 

[1bush2hog]

Correct - Sorry, I forgot to clarify the foliar application period for Roundup

My problem is I can never find that ideal time you mention - either everything appears dormant or everything appears active. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I was actually poking a little fun at Roundup, just so people know there are other less marketed alternatives that can be just as effective if not more so.

Remedy can be used during active or dormant periods depending on the application process and target species.