Preparing A Field

[cowboydoc]

MIke,
Looks like the guys have given you some great advice already and I agree with them. How much fertilizer you need to put on depends on your soil. With regards to grass seed spread it however whatever you buy says to per acre. If it was me though I would spread it heavier than recommended. I had to come up this morning and see a patient so here's the website. www.worldfeeder.com No this won't turn brown. It will act like any other grass that you have.

 

[RPM]

I've seen guys locally use a ripper first to shatter any compaction - and then follow up with a rototiller. You can plant anything you want there after that and both implements would fit on your TC25 -- you'd just need to take it in smaller bites.

I am looking with covetous eyes at the 2acre plot next to me ...

Patrick

 

[JJT]

I do a fair amount of pasture reclaimation without any plowing. I use a 72" tiller and bring in as much organic matter as possible - manure, leaves, sawdust, old hay, etc. Around here if you plow up more than 8 - 12" you get some ugly clay subsoil and lots of rocks.

 

[rf33]

Cowboydoc, what is the primary difference between this new world feeder bermuda, and the very common coastal bermuda that most of the hay farmers and cattlemen here in TX grow. I have read their web site, but it sounds a little like an infomercial. Is there a real benefit? It seems to me to be very high priced, and would have to have substantially better characteristics to warrant serious consideration in my book.

rf33

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[Phred]

Cowboydoc,

Can you grow bermuda well in Iowa and southern PA?

Here in Arkansas bermuda is the best grass for yards and grows well in most fields. However, when I lived in southwest VA almost everyone grew fescue. It was my understanding that bermuda could not handle the weather. I would think southwest PA would also be to far north for the bermuda?

I have been told by a neighbor that my property will not even grow bermuda well since its in the ozark moutains at about 2000 ft. The claim is that the winter is to cool.
I would like this information to be incorrect since bermuda makes a very dense crop that tends to crowd out all else, given enough sunlight.

Fred

 

[cowboydoc]

Well guys I was skeptical as well. My neighbor down the road put it in last year and it has performed almost exactly like they say. He got five cuttings off of it this year and averaged 8 tons per acre. My pastures are all old and very well established grass. If I have anything that needs new though I would use it. Yes it is expensive but I was very impressed with it's use.

Fred you can grow bermuda grass here in Iowa although it's not one of the recommended ones to use. What I would do before you actually spent the money on it is just get some to do a small parcel and see how you like it. If I hadn't seen how well my neighbors did I wouldn't have believed it either.

 

[Egon]

Mike:
How many horses are you going to pasture on the three acres?
Egon

 

[MikePA]

Three horses.

 

[Egon]

Mike:
With three horse's on three acres they may just keep it black by themselves. You will have a hard time establishing any grass unless you fence off one area till its got some roots down.
As the previous crop was corn and if your ph is 6.0 or above a lite tilling and a mixture of hay grass and alfalfa[nitrogen fixing and deep roots] would be my choice. Three acres isn't that much to broadcast. The local store where you buy your seed may have good advice as they should know all the local conditions.
Good luck.
Egon

 

[rdln]

Mike, I was told that a four bottom plow can do an acre per hour, so I always figure on 2 hours for my 2-16 plow but never actually timed my self but you should figure at least 3 hours If you can pull a 2-12.

Most believe letting a plowed field sit in the sun and rain for a week or two helps the secondary tillage.

And talk to your local extension agent for variety, get the soil test apply any required lime 6 months
before planting. have fun