Native Grass Seeding 10+ Acres Mixed w/o Discing?

[rScotty]

My mother, who is a very capable woman, planted grass seed on un tilled ground just to show dad he did not have to disc. It came up just as good as where he plowed.

I can believe it. For awhile we didn't have much luck with re-seeding native grasses after our flood. Not until I quit tilling and changed to just scratching the surface enough to give the seed very minimal cover.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

I can believe it. For awhile we didn't have much luck with re-seeding native grasses after our flood. Not until I quit tilling and changed to just scratching the surface enough to give the seed very minimal cover.

You might have covered too much.

 

[rScotty]

basically bluestem, sideoats, switchgrass and a few other things mixed in.

Nice mix. I think that switchgrass might have the most beautiful seed head of any native grass.
Sideoats (grama) has a unique looking seed but the blue grama may be the queen of seeds.
Add a few native fesques and bromes to round it out.

I always order a few pounds of an oddball grass or two just to see if it will take. A few years ago it was "needle and thread" - and it is finally coming up. This year the oddball is "alkali sacaton". I think it was the name that caught my attention. Seeds so small they are almost like dust.

The question in my mind is always whether or not I want any of the wild rye grasses in my mix - I'm leaning toward NOT. Wild rye grasses are very strong growers, and the inexpensive wild rye seed is often used to bulk out seed mixes. And I'll admit that rye grass gives success - but if not kept mowed then they get tall and can really take over. The problem there is some of the other bunch grasses like the little fescues take longer to establish, don't need or want mowed, and so get crowded out.

 

[jaxs]

My mother, who is a very capable woman, planted grass seed on un tilled ground just to show dad he did not have to disc. It came up just as good as where he plowed.

I hope your mom went on to help lead the charge for no till farming.