Prepping tilled ground with a chain harrow?

[Fallon]

I finally snagged a good deal on a 8'x4' chain harrow. I haven't been able to find a cultipacker, so I guess it will have to do for now.

When I pull it to prep the tilled ground for reseeding with native grasses, should I be pulling it with the teeth forward, backwards, or the smooth side down? As the general consensus seems to be a cultipacker is the best tool for the job, should I be tossing some extra weight on the chain harrow? Some old tires or fence posts to try and pack things down a bit more than just the chain itself?

 

[jeff9366]

Those seeds are small, you do not want them too deep.

I would pull the Chain Harrow smooth side down with weight on it. Tires are good because you can space them evenly. Use chain or industrial strength cable ties to secure tires.

If you want more weight you can toss a cement block in the middle of each tire.

 

[Wagtail]

I'll be watching this thread as I'm 'up to' a similar stage... only I have to wait until November (after the last frost) down here in the Southern Hemisphere.

What I could glean the steps to be, from previous TBN posts AND taking into consideration the implements that I have to work with, is to till (655 tiller) 2-3 inches then drag-harrow with the tynes down to collect any 'crap' that you can. Then I'll use my seed/fertiliser spreader (hopper type) to distribute followed by another pass with the harrow to mix it all up.

My last preparation will be to use a ballast roller to smooth & pack it down. The last bit is because it's horse pasture & I want the roots to establish deep so that grazing won't rip the roots out.

 

[Fallon]

The local conservation office rents a no-till drill cheap & I hear that it's cheaper to rent than pay for the extra seed you'll need with the lesser germination rates broadcasting & dragging. Otherwise I'm on a similar course. I did plow with a subsoiler before I ran the tiller though. Not much crap left after I tilled, not really any clods & all the vegetation (mostly weeds, some grass) was mowed last fall as it was dying for the year, so it was short & easily incorporated by the tiller.

I'd probably wait to find a cultipacker, but around here they recommend planting November-May 1st, so I'm at about the end of the good planting season here.

 

[jenkinsph]

I would use a harrow with the teeth pointed backwards. Harrow the ground, broadcast the seeds, harrow to cover then roll with a cultipacker or smooth roller. Water will be the most important thing that will affect your results from this point forward.

You can use some additional weight and aggressive settings to smooth the land if needed prior to seeding. I would not use the extra weight for the seeding process as you will wind up burying the seeds. In the natural environment the grass would go to seed and fall to the surface without mechanical intervention or coverage, a small amount of seeds are successful in actually germinating. With tools you can increase the germination % easily but in most cases 1/16 to 1/4" is a range to shoot for in depth. Don't overdo the seed covering but use something to compact the seeds in and provide contact with the soil.

 

[orangeandgreen]

We just seeded (Ky 31 fescue)around our newly constructed pavillion at church.
Tilled with KK 3 point tiller at shallowest skid setting to loosen everything up, fertilized, chain harrow (agressive setting), seeded, chain harrow (teeth up). Spreading and harrowing were done with atv's.
First pass with harrow incorporated the fertilizer and levelled out the small ridges between the tiller passes, second pass lightly covered seed.

 

[Texasmark]

I agree on upside down for what you are doing. You may not want any extra weight as it has a tendency to make a ball of dirt in the center at the rear and messes things up. Most grass seeds of which I am aware plant at shallow depths, like 1/4 to 1/2". If you don't have a cultipacker plant just before a rain and the rain will provide you with the "soil contact" you seek. Otherwise for general harrowing I use spikes to the rear as there is usually some growth remaining and it will just wad up under the thing and periodically it will release and you have this big mound in your baby's hinie smooth field.

Mark