Best way to seed acres?

[Jbbies]

This topic may have been covered many times but Im having a hard time finding some answers. I want to get some grass started on my property mostly weeds. I am looking at a combo of switch/indian grass much like you see in CRP out here in Eastern Colorado. I know a drill is best option. I was looking for other options. If you use a broadcast seeder what are best options for covering seed up? Open to opinions/ideas.

Thanks B

 

[Deere Dude]

This topic may have been covered many times but Im having a hard time finding some answers. I want to get some grass started on my property mostly weeds. I am looking at a combo of switch/indian grass much like you see in CRP out here in Eastern Colorado. I know a drill is best option. I was looking for other options. If you use a broadcast seeder what are best options for covering seed up? Open to opinions/ideas.

Thanks B

I don't know the best way. Some people use these little drop seeders but that seems like a lot of work to me. I have done a few lawns and I like to broadcast the seed and fertilizer. It covers a big area fast. I don't mind putting grass on a little thicker that what is probably required. I figured it doesn't hurt anything and grass is relatively cheap. Of course the ground has to be seed ready. Either rototilled or disked and dragged or whatever else it takes. The after the seed is down, I run over it with a roller to make sure the seed doesn't wash away and gets set it in the ground nice. Then I get some weed free straw from a farmer and shake that loosely over the whole thing and then water it to make the straw lays there and that helps keep the moisture in the ground. If the field was all weeds right now, I would get rid of them by tilling down to 4".
Some people use blankets of straw. It is fine straw that comes in 4 or 5' rolls about 50 foot long. I never used it but a lot of people in Wisconsin do. I'm too cheap for that.

I'm sure others will chime in with some great ideas.
Good luck.

 

[flusher]

This topic may have been covered many times but Im having a hard time finding some answers. I want to get some grass started on my property mostly weeds. I am looking at a combo of switch/indian grass much like you see in CRP out here in Eastern Colorado. I know a drill is best option. I was looking for other options. If you use a broadcast seeder what are best options for covering seed up? Open to opinions/ideas.

Thanks B

Cheapest option:

Mow the weeds as short as possible.
Buy or make a spike harrow to scratch the soil about 1/2" to 1" depth.
Get yourself a $35 bag seeder to broadcast the seed

Amazon.com: Earthway 2750 Hand-Operated Bag Spreader/Seeder: Patio, Lawn & Garden

Buy or make a roller to press the seed into the loosened soil. If you have $500-1000 to spend, then consider a cultipacker for this step in the process.

 

[Gator6x4]

Farmers and landscapers use a large and expensive tool called an Overseeder. A small one costs 4-5 thousand dollars. The tool is either PTO driven or chain driven from one of the rollers. The tool is equiped with rollers that have ground penterating spikes on them. The front roller will make small holes in the ground, grass seed are dropped and the rear roller then provide seed coverage. Very good way to seed acres. Germination count is high, uniform seeding is accomplished.

I would check in local area and see if such is available either for hire, lease or rental.

 

[hrcarver]

Switchgrass is pretty easy. Its seed is smooth and it will run through any small seed box found on most drills. Indiangrass is a little trickier. It has a hairy seed that really does well in a fluffy seed box designed for native warm season grasses. Lots of counties agencies rent drills (cheap, $10/acre here) that have native warm season grass capability.

They are cost prohibitive for most people to purchase, figure 15k for a small drill with all three (main, small, fluffy) seed boxes. I have a drill I use for food plots with a small seed box and a main box that cost me near 10k used.

You said you didn't want a drill, but I want to encourage you to reconsider. If you really can not find a drill for some reason, you can get fair results mixing indiangrass seed with sand or kitty litter through a broadcast spreader. The seed cost is high enough that the drill rental will end up cheaper if rental is a possibility.

Switchgrass can be frost seeded with good results. Not sure about indiangrass, maybe a cultipacker?

 

[weesa20]

Two options- one i've used, one not. A renovator is a possibility- you can rent a tractor and one pretty cheap and then broadcast spread the seed and roll. The other technique I've used is to purchase a larger dethatcher (i have a 4 foot) which I have taken the wheels off and attach to the 3ph on my GC with U-bolts and put a coupe patio blocks on it for some weight...it scratches the surface pretty good and then I aerate over that with a 5 footer, broadcast seed and then fert and then roll.

 

[DJ54]

Here is an overseeder like Gator6X4 is talking about. Rotating cutters make a slit, seed drops in through tubes, disc's cover it up.

Some equipment rental's have them. We have a local dealer/rental business that rents them for $175.00 per day.

This one is not pretty, but barely used. Reseeded a high school football field for about 4 years, until they got astro turf. I got it off a fellow who bought it at the school surplus auction, but never used it. Found it on Craigslist for $100.00..!!

 

[forgeblast]

When working with a landscaper we had a machine that would eat hay bales (towed behind a truck) and shoot out hay to cover areas fast. It was really nice to use on big areas.

 

[BeezFun]

At work they have a piece of equipment that's towed behind a large tractor. It sprays a mixture of seed and some stuff that looks like Christmas tree flocking on the ground. It comes out of a mounted hose that looks like something on a firetruck, it can shoot that stuff a long ways. Covers the ground with a combination of seed, nutrients and a moisture retainer. Not sure if you could hire someone to do this, but it sure works great and gives the grass a good chance during a dry spell.

 

[forgeblast]

Hydro seeder
Hydroseeder & Hydromulcher - Bonded Fiber Matrix Equipment