Prepping for grass seed

[dxturner]

I have about two acres of red dirt around my home that was scraped bare to build up a pad for the house. I would like to plant some native grass seed sometime next month. I don't plan on doing a lot of plowing and planting so thought I would just rent an implement from a nearby Kubota dealer. I have a Kioti DK4210SE. The question is, what type of implement should I use?

I have asked several individuals and gotten an equal number of answers - from discs to "heavy harrow" to rotary tiller to reverse rotary tiller. Thought this would be a good place to ask to get opinions.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I have about two acres of red dirt around my home that was scraped bare to build up a pad for the house. I would like to plant some native grass seed sometime next month. I don't plan on doing a lot of plowing and planting so thought I would just rent an implement from a nearby Kubota dealer. I have a Kioti DK4210SE. The question is, what type of implement should I use?

I have asked several individuals and gotten an equal number of answers - from discs to "heavy harrow" to rotary tiller to reverse rotary tiller. Thought this would be a good place to ask to get opinions.

Thanks for your time.

View attachment 851189

If its small seed like bahia seed, I would take a pine straw rake or something of that nature just to rough up the dirt a little , mix my seed in with some builder sand in a 3 point hitch spreader and after spreading I would roll it in with a cultipacker or roller, if no access to either of those I would take a small piece of chain link fence and drag it in and I would follow up with some hay or straw on those inclines to keep it from washing so bad till my grass got established. Good luck.

 

[scootr]

It looks like they may have scraped soil off of the bare area to build up the house pad. IF that is the case there is no topsoil left and the seed may fail.

 

[super55]

Soil looks pretty smooth and already well prepped but looks can be deceiving. 1st I would take a shovel and just see how hard the soil actually is. If you can't penetrate it with a shovel seed don't have much of a chance. If you can then things get a lot easier.

Native grass seeds usually have a maximum planting depth of about a 1/4" so if the seed can penetrate there's not much work involved. I would find a seed blend you like for the acreage you have and then find or rent a hydroseeder. Years ago I did landscaping and always had amazing results with one and since warm season native grasses are typically fluffy they do not do well in broadcasting.

For the cost of native warm season grasses its worth paying a little extra to get it hydroseeded.

 

[EddieWalker]

Mother Nature just spreads the seed in the wind. Once Seeds hit the ground, they like to stay there. If you do nothing, grass will start growing there on it's own.

Depending on the type of seed you are planting, there are ideal times in the year to plant, and other times when it's not such a great idea. For me, Bermuda Grass is the best for making hay and feeding livestock. It also makes a really nice lawn. It spreads by runners, but starts from seed. The seed has a hull on it that rots off over time. Once the hull falls off, the seed is ready to germinate. This is all times naturally to happen in late Spring when temps are in the 80's and warmer.

If I'm going to spread seed before it's warm enough, I buy Bermuda with the hull. If I want to spread seed in Spring through Summer, I'm buying Bermuda that has had the hull removed. Once the hulled Bermuda is planted in the Spring, it will sprout in a week if watered every day.

Be careful of comments about topsoil. In a lot of areas there is no such thing as topsoil. We got clay, and that's all we have. Clay is full of nutrients, and it's great for growing grass in my area of East Texas.

Once established, you can take soil samples to see what your soil needs to grow your grass better. You mail in the sample, they mail you back their findings and then you buys what you need to improve your soil. It takes about six months for it to do anything, and it's not uncommon for it to take 5 years to get your soil where you want it if it's really bad for what you're growing.

 

[super55]

Hopefully the OP can reply soon to what they are defining as native grass.

When I hear native grass I'm thinking indiangrass, big and little bluestem and switchgrass. But these are prairie grasses you typically wouldn't want them in your lawn unless you were not planning on not cutting and you wanted pheasants to visit your bird feeder.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Soil samples would be nice but if not no big deal, don’t till, it will fluff the soil too much, you need a good soil to seed contact, if you walk on the ground and your boots sink it’s too soft, just spreed your seed and fertilizer then roll it and that’s it … I wouldn’t drag it afterwards ether it drags and concentrate the seeds where you will turn.

 

[D&D]

If the dealer has one, an overseeder is pretty nice for this. it cuts the soil, places the seed and rolls/crimps it in one pass. A soil sample would tell a lot too.

 

[Piston]

A 'Power Rake' (sometimes called 'Harley Rake') is meant specifically for this purpose. You should be able to rent one from the dealer, and would only need a few hours judging by the pic.

This was a section of uncleared woods/brush that I knocked the trees down in and ran the power rake over it 3 times. Once one direction, once perpendicular to the first, and once diagonal.

 

[Streetcar]

Where are you located. Different areas have different correct answers.
check with local extension agent if you have one

 

[duffer]

I agree that getting a soil test will be your first best option. If your soil pH isn't right, any $$ you spend on seed, fertilizer, chemicals, etc would be like taking $100 bills and burning them in your driveway. They won't be effective. Once your soil is re-balanced then you can plant your native seed and fertilize accordingly.

But you're gonna have to provide consistent and frequent moisture to the entire area, to get the seeds to germinate. And grass seed is planted only 1/8"-1/4" down, depending on the seed type. So frequent watering is a must.

 

[dxturner]

Thanks everyone. I do appreciate the information!

I'm in Texas, north of Fort Worth, near the Red River. I have had a soil test done and the grass seed I'm planning to use is Turner Turf, which is buffalo grass and blue grama mix. The ground is pretty hard. That photo is at least a year old and we've had a lot of erosion so I would like to get it smoothed out before planting.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I've always slit seeded my lawn. It's two acres, but thats doable. You can rent 3pt drills. It took a couple years to get a nice solid stand, but it's worth the time. This was a really poor hay field when we built a few years ago. Seeded twice. A little fertilizer. Pre emergent in the spring to knock down the weed seed bank over a few years.

 

[DJ54]

Too bad you're not further North and, seed bed was prepped to take advantage of the weather using the frost seeding method. You're basically mimicking Mother Nature. Spread the seed and when the dirt honeycombs due to freeze, when it thaws it will pull the seed covering it.

That's how I reseed my small pastures, works like a champ. Usually do mine in the last 2 weeks of Feb., first 2 weeks of March. Just have to wait on that window of opportunity when the ground is frozen, and little wind using my old Garber Seed Easy broadcast spreader.

 

[oosik]

So - this is what I did on a 3/4 acre pasture near my house. I have a homemade "drag". Smooth on one side - turn it over it's toothed.

Hooked it behind my ATV and thoroughly drug the pasture - tooth side down. Hand seeded the pasture with seed from a local seed company. They said - "made for local soil conditions - no need to add any augments" - they were right.

Hand seeded the pasture - turned the drag over - teeth up - drug the pasture to cover the seed.
My home made drag and the pasture now - after three years.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I did 17 acres of field a few years ago, I spreaded my seed and fertilizer with a PTO spreader, then rolled it. This is was for making hay.

before seeding, it was a little too soft it did took a while for the seed to germinate but they did.

First fall (seeded in early June this was late September we also had a wet year) after the first trim

Second year mid summer

 

[oosik]

The seed I got from the big seed company had all native seed. There were many different mixtures. I bought the one they recommended. There is one spot - next to the burn barrel - where nothing has ever grown. Not enough soil over bedrock.