Plowing / tilling questions

[holmstead]

Folks,
I need some advice on improving my pasture. I have 40 ac located in Bushnell Florida (north of Tampa / south of Ocala) with native bahia grass. 20ac have been lightly disked a few years ago. My current equipment consists of a JD 4120/fwd/fel, FNH 1715/fwd, small set of disks, box blade, rotary cutters. I would like to level out the place and plant grass that I can have someone come in and hay for me - getting tired of cutting all summer long and then having to buy hay for the winter. Any suggestion on how to accomplish this and what additional equipment I should purchase - any additional equipment will be purchased for use by the 4120. Could I do most of the work with a tiller and drag? If so, what brand and size? Any suggestions on a replacement for the bahia? One other note - I will most likely be doing this work in 10 ac pieces. Thanks Jim

 

[Egon]

Suggest you get a Plough to turn it over with. Any chance of getting some larger equipment in and doing it at one time.

Would also recommend spraying Roundup or it's equivalent several weeks before starting the cultivation.

Work the land a few times before seeding new grass. This may let all the old seeds in the ground germinate and be cultived under.

 

[Mike120]

I had two bahia fields that I reworked last spring. I sprayed them both with Eraser and disked them. I had one sprigged with Tifton 85 (for horses) and seeded the other with Texas Tough (common and giant bermuda) for cow rounds. I'm thinking about putting Tifton in the second one now because of the huge difference in production between the two. I paid for the sprigging, Grazon, and fertilizer with the first cutting.