Retiring hay field

[HorseDoctor]

I have 7 acres of alfalfa that I want to convert to prairie in the next 2 years. My plan though, is to rip it up and put it in Ag for 1-2 years to cut down on the seed bank of weeds. Then frost seed in the Prairie grasses. I didn't see where dbltree did this, but I would think that seeding this way will get a lot of seed to soil contact the first year, rather than the thick thatch of smoked alfalfa. ???

Should work fine. I haven't personally done it, but frost seeding or no-till drill after a year (or two) of RR beans is reported to be a real good way to start natives.

 

[Sligh1]

I have 7 acres of alfalfa that I want to convert to prairie in the next 2 years. My plan though, is to rip it up and put it in Ag for 1-2 years to cut down on the seed bank of weeds. Then frost seed in the Prairie grasses. I didn't see where dbltree did this, but I would think that seeding this way will get a lot of seed to soil contact the first year, rather than the thick thatch of smoked alfalfa. ???

Like HD said, it'd be fine. I will say, a freshly baled and killed alfalfa field is a really good seed bed. You are removing all the trash from the surface. Whether it's grass, alfalfa, etc - baling before-hand is a great way to start a seed bed. Making sure everything is dead as possible is a chore and something you really need to watch (why I use heavy rates of round-up, some 2,4-D and often some other residual). But, a cut bean field, yes, that's about as good of a seed bed as a guy could get. I'm not a huge fan of frost seeding fluffies but it can be done. Switchgrass - absolutely. Fluffies I prefer to drill but it's not impossible to get them to take. Spreading is more difficult (which you have spreaders like Truax makes, etc) and the soil contact & blowing away of seed is my bigger concern with fluffies like BB, Indian, little blue, etc.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

Can't bale but have a torch.

I'm hoping to burn 20 acres of mostly dead brome thatch before winter sets in (if it gets dry enough). Fire is a good thatch remover.

 

[ButChicken]

Thanks HD and Sligh. I will just cut n bale it up then smoke it if that works. Gets me going with grass faster. Sligh, I get what you mean about the kill. I smoked the brome ditch in September with 5% Gly and still had to come back for some survivors in October. The brome killed nice but some sort of broadleaf cover crop the DOT uses was still kicking. A second drowning dose of 5% Gly finished it off.I plan on frost seeding pure Switch in the ditch to get through the dead stuff I left behind. I don't think the fluffies will get through to the dirt. If this winter stays snow free and dries a little I will light her up and get rid of the dead broam. Then I may try some fluffies. When I get the prairie going in the hay field, I was thinking of cutting and bailing it for a season or two, then go to a burn. Good way to manage new prairie???

 

[gundog870]

I have the exact same thing, mine was baled in late August and now I have a bit of a mess. Will a guy be able to drill my switch through the sod/alf alfa and then nuke it with gly in the spring?

What the heck is a fluffy?

 

[Barrett's Dad]

Fluffy - a NWSG seed, such as Indiangrass, little Bluestem, big Bluestem, etc.

The seeds are light and fluffy, not a small hard seed like switchgrass.

 

[arm]

I did this to a 2 acre open area. Frost seeded switchgrass and had a decent stand the first year and by the second year it was up to my head and very thick.

What type of area did you have that you started the switch; flat and low, hilly, hillside, etc?

 

[arm]

Moving forward with this 20 acres in beans for the 2016 season to prepare a nice bed for future plans. I think as this progresses I'll add updates just for fun? I can guarantee, at very least, this could turn into a 10 year thread of things NOT to do!