seeding after land clearing

[drygulch]

I've been slowly clearing land along our larger creek. It was pasture in a previous life, but had been let go for probably 15 or more years before we got it.

In the areas I cleared in the past, some type of grass eventually filled in. I've been considering expediting it this time with some seed if I can get something budget friendly. Looking at maybe 1+ acres at the moment that won't be used for grazing or anything.

Thoughts/recommendations?

Thanks,

Greg

 

[rc51stierhoff]

Good day.

I think a lot probably depends on your location and soil. What I have been doing as I clear a path, or even for the areas we plant cache crop, I contact a local seed place and look at their mixes (call if questions) for what I am doing. Pheasants forever / quails forever have an online order site but their stuff is pretty pricey. I’ve not bought from them but their site does identify if their mix matches different USDA wildlife programs that prescribe what you need to have in the mix…so that is helpful, pricey, but helpful. They are very helpful on the phone too.

Are you wanting to attract any specific wildlife or maybe want flowers or something for pollinators air just something to mow? Hard to go wrong with a rye grass, but depending on your goals maybe want something else?

If you have a local grainery, you can usually get the basics there in whatever batch size you need…they will
Measure out (at least they do here).

UGA also has helpful extension service.

Planting Guide to Grasses and Legumes for Forage and Wildlife in Georgia

This planting guide will help producers establish grasses and legumes commonly grown for forage and wildlife in Georgia.

extension.uga.edu

Good luck.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

got any local bee keepers ? if so ,plant clover, let them put hives up next summer....you get free honey.....

 

[drygulch]

Good day.
...
Good luck.

Thanks. Ultimately I just want something other than dirt sooner than later, but I'm not willing to spend much to get it. Wasn't sure if there was some standard issue seed good for this purpose. I know a bit about lawn grasses, but no experience with starting a field. I might check out local suppliers for prices.

FWIW, property is in AL, and soil is pretty sandy along this creek. Will just be bush hogged.

I hadn't considered attracting any specific wildlife, although the wife expressed she'd like some wildflowers. I have a bag of seeds on hand to mix in for that.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Use rye as a cover crop.

 

[ken erickson]

I hadn't considered attracting any specific wildlife, although the wife expressed she'd like some wildflowers. I have a bag of seeds on hand to mix in for that.

Before doing anything you might to make contact with these folks in your local region. You might be pleasantly surprised at the cost sharing which sometime means you doing the labor and the seed is supplied. The site visit is a no cost to you with no obligation.

partners-fish-and-wildlife

 

[BAP]

Go to a seed dealer for Agricultural seeds and ask about a Conservation Mix. It is made up of several seed types that do well in establishing a good cover for cleared areas. If it doesn’t have any clover in it, mix some in, preferably red clover, because clover will attract bees and will produce nitrogen to help the grass grow better.

 

[jimh406]

I wouldn't put rye on it. I'd restore with native grasses although the fish and wildlife or agronomist in your seed supplier are both good choices as well as the local farm extension agent.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I wouldn't put rye on it. I'd restore with native grasses although the fish and wildlife or agronomist in your seed supplier are both good choices as well as the local farm extension agent.

Rye is just a quick growing cover crop to keep it from eroding, it does not propagate, that's what makes it work well.
Almost all forest mix covers use it in the blend.

 

[drygulch]

Thanks for all the input. I ended up getting a good price on some rye at the local farmer's co-op. That was weeks ago and still no rain in these parts.

Before doing anything you might to make contact with these folks in your local region. [...]

partners-fish-and-wildlife

Thank you for the heads up on this. While I'm admittedly skeptical about bringing the government in on managing my land, it certainly sounds interesting and worth looking into.

Greg

 

[ken erickson]

Thank you for the heads up on this. While I'm admittedly skeptical about bringing the government in on managing my land, it's certainly sounds interesting and worth looking into.

Greg

I fully understand your reluctance and trepidation, I was also!

I think the nice thing about the USFW Partners for wildlife program is that there is a no obligation site visit and consultation. After all, knowledge is power!

In my case I never felt like the Govt was managing my land. They listened to my goals and we worked together as to what the landowner agreement was to look like. Their obligations and mine was clearly spelled out.

In the words of the supervisor to the private lands biologist I worked with. "We are just here to jump start the private landowner on his journey of habitat work".
This turned out to be true in my case. Unlike some of the other govt. programs, CRP, MFL (managed forest law in Wisconsin) I had no obligations after the first two years of my landowner agreement. My management choices are 100% up to me.

The reason for the 10 year agreement is to protect the programs initial investment.

This is how it would work. Lets say Partners invested X amount of money into a 28 acre project such as mine. For some reason, year 5 I decided to plow under the prairie plantings in a 5 acre portion and plant a cash crop such as soybeans. Partners then would prorate their investment , not only on a time remaining left of the agreement (5 years) but also the percentage of acres of the total acreage project.

 

[jyoutz]

Contact your local agricultural cooperative extension service office that is run by your state university. They have people who are familiar with local soils, climate, and species and can look at your placing make recommendations. This service is free.

 

[drygulch]

I fully understand your reluctance and trepidation, I was also!

Thank you for the additional information. Will investigate further.

 

[jyoutz]

I fully understand your reluctance and trepidation, I was also!

I think the nice thing about the USFW Partners for wildlife program is that there is a no obligation site visit and consultation. After all, knowledge is power!

In my case I never felt like the Govt was managing my land. They listened to my goals and we worked together as to what the landowner agreement was to look like. Their obligations and mine was clearly spelled out.

In the words of the supervisor to the private lands biologist I worked with. "We are just here to jump start the private landowner on his journey of habitat work".
This turned out to be true in my case. Unlike some of the other govt. programs, CRP, MFL (managed forest law in Wisconsin) I had no obligations after the first two years of my landowner agreement. My management choices are 100% up to me.

The reason for the 10 year agreement is to protect the programs initial investment.

This is how it would work. Lets say Partners invested X amount of money into a 28 acre project such as mine. For some reason, year 5 I decided to plow under the prairie plantings in a 5 acre portion and plant a cash crop such as soybeans. Partners then would prorate their investment , not only on a time remaining left of the agreement (5 years) but also the percentage of acres of the total acreage project.

And you are talking about something more involved than what I was suggesting. You can simply ask Cooperative extension service or NRCS to come look at your land and make recommendations on seeding and provide technical information with no agreements at all. They are service organizations, not regulatory entities.

 

[Old Machinist]

I have 5 acres I've just been letting what ever comes up wild grow but mowing to keep the weeds down. Some of it still gets significant weed areas but they remain low. As long as it has roots to retain the soil is about all I care about.

I just put out 50 lbs of Coker Oats mixed with 100 lbs of fertilizer. We have a nearby fertilizer company that mixes their own. Total cost was about $75. Just got the first rain on it and put it out a few days ago. Hoping to see some growth from that.

We have a few small groups of deer that seem content to eat the wild grasses and weeds. I use to feed them corn but stopped a couple of years ago. I was surprised to still get as much activity on my cameras as I did when I fed them and I am saving the cost of corn. My neighbors on both sides feed them and they go back and forth and stop on my property to graze. You would think they would just pass from one feeding stating to the next but they rarely just walk by any of my cameras without stopping to eat.

 

[jyoutz]

One old native grass seeding trick is to mix in some winter wheat or rye with the native grass seed, then drag it to cover the seed. The grain crop provides a cover to establish the native grass, but wheat or rye doesn’t persist forever like oats. After a couple of years, the grain is gone and native grasses are established.