Chain Harrow in Fescue. HOW TALL?

[DennisArrow]

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

 

[paulemar]

Dennis,

I'm not sure how much help I'm going to be but I used a chain harrow on my field this Spring to over seed mixed grasses. My harrow is only 4 X 4 and I used my garden tractor to pull it on a slightly slopped hillside. The chain harrow didn't dig in much, even set to aggressive. The field was not yet growing when I prepped the soil and the existing spotty grass was about 1" high and the soil was nicely moistened. I wasn't happy with the chain harrow alone and went over it at least 3 times before I decided it wasn't doing what I wanted. I broke out my little plug aerator and went over the 1-1/2 acre field 4-5 times, then again with the harrow several times which then left noticeable shallow groves. I seeded, flipped the harrow over to where the tines were facing up and went over the field. That seemed to break up the soil plugs from the aerator and cover the seed pretty good. I then used my roller, (empty) to lightly press the seed down. I was worried that a very heavy rain a week later washed out a lot of the seed, but it appears that, as it is now coming up, the rain damage was not as bad as it could have been. Perhaps more weight on the harrow while dragging would get it to more be more aggressive, but how would you get more weight evenly distributed on top of a chain harrow? I haven't figured that out very well yet. I tried 3 old tires tied on top which helped, but more weight was needed.
If your fescue is thick, even if you mow it short, you are probably going to have trouble getting your seed into good contact with the soil which is essential for germination.

 

[Jerry/MT]

If you grass is that high and it's thick, you'll be wasting seed, fuel, and time to try to seed into that. Frost seeding might work but your way past the time for that. The only suggestion I have is something like an overseeder.Brillion and Landpride make them and they are spendy.

 

[crowbar032]

Not familiar with a chain harrow. Fescue is very tough and generally so thick that nothing else will sprout when that tall. I think you'll waste a lot of time and money that route. If you're set on doing it now, I would mow it down as close as you can get to the ground (like actually scalp it almost hitting dirt). Then hit it with a heavy disc, scatter your seed and then use the chain harrow. The fescue will grow back, but it will be slowed down enough to give the other seed time to come up. The old timers said any month with an "R" would get a good stand.

You may check with your local county extention agency. My local one rents a no till seeder or an over seeder if you plow for about $15 an acre. Either way, you need to mow it down.

 

[DennisArrow]

My USDA agent is trying to find a no till disk seeder as I write this. Lespedeza is actually a pretty hardy plant and is considered a weed in some areas. For me, the type I am sowing is developed especially as a hay/feed for goats and sheep to graze on, by the University of Alabama. It is especially helpful with parasite control in the gut itself.

If I mow it short, won't that leave a world of clippings/green mulch blocking the soil. Hmmmm.....perhaps then the chain harrow would work better.........???????

Anyway, the folks over there in Alabama tell me that one plants it just like bermuda, tiny seeds, warm weather, enough water to germinate and then it takes off, and acidic soil............They advise me to just sow it by hand or in a broadcast seeder and it will do fine; but am trying to help it along as much as possible by at least exposing some soil.........Thanks for the thoughts guys.....God bless..........Dennis

 

[smstonypoint]

For me, the type I am sowing is developed especially as a hay/feed for goats and sheep to graze on, by the University of Alabama. It is especially helpful with parasite control in the gut itself.

Just to give credit where credit is due, I believe you are referring to AU Grazer, developed at the Alabama Ag. Experiment Station associated with Auburn University.

Steve

 

[whistlepig]

If you mow it short and then use a chain harrow you will be stopping very frequently the clean the clippings out of the harrow tines. Then you have a big pile of clippings to deal with. Chain harrows work for smoothing sand, breaking up dried manure, and smoothing loose gravel. They won't do much in grass except ride over the top of it. At least on the one that I use anyway.

 

[crowbar032]

My USDA agent is trying to find a no till disk seeder as I write this.

The no-till seeder my county rents requires a minimum 50 HP tractor with one set of remotes. Not familiar with your tractor, just fyi.

If I mow it short, won't that leave a world of clippings/green mulch blocking the soil. Hmmmm.....perhaps then the chain harrow would work better.........???????

My first thought was to let it grow and have someone mow it for hay, then do your seeding in the fall without the trash mowing would leave. Not sure about the slope or what else is in there though. Although I've seen some people make hay on some pretty steep hillsides.

 

[DennisArrow]

Just to give credit where credit is due, I believe you are referring to AU Grazer, developed at the Alabama Ag. Experiment Station associated with Auburn University.

Steve

MY TOTAL APOLOGIES Steve..........Really.....Only excuse I have was late at night reply and recovering from cold/allergies meds............THANKS again.......God bless......Dennis

 

[DennisArrow]

The no-till seeder my county rents requires a minimum 50 HP tractor with one set of remotes. Not familiar with your tractor, just fyi.

My first thought was to let it grow and have someone mow it for hay, then do your seeding in the fall without the trash mowing would leave. Not sure about the slope or what else is in there though. Although I've seen some people make hay on some pretty steep hillsides.

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