Tools for the job? Seeding, overseeding

[Timmer92]

Hello there,

We are in the process of planting pasture. Last fall we disced it several times, spread winter rye grass using a 3pt broadcast spreader, and then went over it with drag harrow (no tines, just the chain link fence style). The rye came in nicely before winter and is greening up as we see warm days here this spring. Our next step is to broadcast overseed the area with a pasture mix once the ground warms up. My question to you is if I should do anything to work this seed in? I obviously don't want to overly harm the rye that is in place. If so, what is the tool for the job? My drag harrow was a light duty unit and what was left of it went to the scrap yard after we used it last fall. I'm making plans and want to figure out should looking to purchase, rent, or borrow anything in the upcoming weeks.

Thanks!

 

[Creature Meadow]

What I have done that worked well a few times is to apply your seed then mow the rye which lays the thatch/clippings on top of the seed. May want to use more than the intended seed rate. Follow this with a cultipacker if you have one to ensure good seed to ground contact.

I have also turned my disc harrow blades to straight so that only a small amount of dirt is turned up followed by seeding and cultipacking.

Some food for thought, good luck.

Jay

 

[Workerbee]

If you’re mowing after broadcasting seed, how can you avoid blowing the seed out of the area? I have never tried that strategy, but am interested in the details.

 

[BigG]

I like the idea of mowing it after spreading the seed. A rear discharge would be best but you could just mow it by turning 180 at the end of each pass. You could then drag it with a homemade drag. Tires bolted together will work. Chain link fence with a few tires laid upon it or a railroad tie.

 

[D2Cat]

If you're going to mow it with a belly mower, maybe block off the discharge opening with something like cardboard to keep the grass seed contained.

 

[Creature Meadow]

As D2Cat said I block the discharge and I don't cut it like my lawn raise it up to 4 to 6 inches depending on height when you cut. The seed will fall down when seeding.

I have a piece of lexan I made to mount at my discharge that blocks the grass from blowing out again not looking for a nice finished product. Just a nice blanket for the seed to lay under it is importat though to cultipack to ensure good contact to the ground.

Frost seeding is nice as well. Cut low when a frost is expected seed on the frost and as it melts it pulls the seed close to the soil.

 

[Tim Horton]

One of the last things we did a prototype in the tool, die shop before I retired was an over seeder with pto driven ground openers.. Powered, wavy, coltier type blades that would open grooves to accept about 80% of the dropped seed in existing grass or stubble abut 10 cm tall..

Depending on the seed and existing grass it would average 80-90% germination rate.. This was on golf courses to hay fields and hay fields we tested on... It was quite an expensive implement I though, but did a fantastic job for the intended use.

With all this in mind, being old, retired, and cheap, I have been thinking on the line of mounting an ATV style 12V broad cast spreader on my 3pt disk to broadcast in front of the disk and let the disk open, and cover the seed.. It may not be as high a germination percent and precise coverage, but good enough for an old reclaimed pasture..

 

[bambam31]

What I have done that worked well a few times is to apply your seed then mow the rye which lays the thatch/clippings on top of the seed. May want to use more than the intended seed rate. Follow this with a cultipacker if you have one to ensure good seed to ground contact.

I have also turned my disc harrow blades to straight so that only a small amount of dirt is turned up followed by seeding and cultipacking.

Some food for thought, good luck.

Jay

This is how we plant food plots minus the cultipacker. We call it throw and mow. It has worked every time.

 

[PNWBXer]

How does mowing over freshly thrown grass seed not destroy or scatter the seed randomly. Doesn't make sense to me. But interesting...

 

[Creature Meadow]

This would not be ideal for a lawn due to the height of the grass but for a field or pasture where the grass grows taller it works fine.

You sow your seed and most of it falls to the ground. Your field may be a foot or taller, set your mower height up to 6" or even taller. Mow it and the thatch falls on top of the seed, followed by a cultipacker is ideal to ensure good contact to the soil.

Your germination will not be as high as if you used a seed drill but it is more than adequate as the goal is not not achieve a manicured lawn but reseeding a pasture or field.

I first saw this done on a TouTube video some years back where they were planting food plots. They killed the grass and weeds, sowed the seed, ran a bush hog over it then followed with a cultipacker behind a 4-wheeler. Follow-up video few months later and the plot looked great.

Hope this helps better explain the technique.