overseeding feild in spring

[NewToMini's]

I'm thinking about putting some grass seed on part of my field where the grass doesn't grow really well (lots of clay, but grass can grow). My plan is to close that part off until the grass has a chance to grow, and then let the horses on it for limited amounts of time until next year. There is still some long grass laying over in the field from last year, though (the minis couldn't keep up with the grass, but now I have a large pony with them), so should I put the horses in that part of the field to graze it down first? (there is no shelter in that part, but I could just put them in that part when the weather is nice)

 

[lkblazin]

No i would leave the grass. It will work well to help the seeds germinate and protect them from critters..such as birds. Also when it rains it will help keep the seeds in place and not let them go with the run off water. others might have different opinions, but it all depends on where you live.

 

[NewToMini's]

So... I was trying to section off the field with baling twine, and I don't have enough twine. I was really liking it until I realized I didn't have enough twine to finish

Guess I'll have to wait until next week and see how much electric braid costs, and see if I can afford to do it that way...

I think I will let the horses graze it down first. I don't have anything to get the seed into the ground with, so if they graze the grass down, the seeds should have an easier time getting down to the dirt, I think.

 

[amysue]

If the grass is very long and laying down matted on the ground, then the seed will not sprout as it will not get into the ground enough or will not get enough sun. I would let them graze it, or mow it shorter then broadcast the seed. Ideally, you will have the best results if you scratch up the dirt with a rake or chain harrow to better sew the seeds. If you need more bailing twine, why not ask other farmers or horsey people in your area to save theirs for you, I always have excess piles and knots of it around here that I willingly give away to crafters and artists and re purpose into many things and use to fix/ redneck MacGyver things back together.

 

[NewToMini's]

There are some horse people down the road that might have some baling twine laying around, I reckon I could ask them.

I'm planning on using a homemade harrow to go over the ground to break up the manure before I seed it. My mare isn't trained to pull it yet, though, and I haven't had a lot of time to work with the horses, so I hope I can get her trained before it's too late to seed the field. Depending on how afraid she is of it, I might end up just pulling it myself XD

 

[amysue]

I can see that...her watching and you pulling lol!

 

[NewToMini's]

Haha, that's probably how it will go

 

[AngC]

I know what our two girls would do with last years brown, soggy, leftover grass. They wouldn't eat one bit of the old stuff. Instead, they would nibble, snuffle, paw and dig to get every bit of new green growth including the roots and totally destroy any hope for regrowth. Been there; watched 'em.

I've been tinkering with overseeding for a couple years now. Grass seed is fairly forgiving. "Roughing up" the soil in some fashion does seem to help (we use a disk harrow to carve cross-hatching in the soil.) Once it's seeded, don't let it dry out. I've killed off more "reseeds" by letting it dry out.

I don't try to incorporate horse poop into the soil if I want grazing within a year.

When we started with horses, I was trying to "drag" the horse poop with a chain harrow. During rainy season it slightly incorporated, but during the dry part of the year, there it sat. The internal parasite fecal counts were sky-rocketing. Plus I noticed how green the grass grew (high nitrogen) around poop piles, and I also noticed how none of them would eat that dark green grass (up to two years after.) Sometimes I do better when I listen to the horses; so, I don't expect them to eat manure-fertilized grass.

 

[NewToMini's]

Until I get a new wheelbarrow (the wheel falls off the one I have now), the manure will either sit on top of the dirt the way the horse's left it, or will be harrowed to break it up so it decomposes faster. Picking it up isn't really an option right now, so harrowing is the next best.

And once they eat the grass left from last year (or until I've given them enough time that they ought to have), I'll remove them from the field to plant the seed, and then keep them off it until the new grass looks like it should be able to handle light grazing (then control their time on it)

 

[WinchesterGirl30]

Hey sorry to just jump in but what do you guys use to seed your fields? I have thr same problem with clay soil so not much grass in places! Just curious! ☺

 

[amysue]

Usually hubby buys pasture seed mix that has timothy, clover, brome and short fescue in it. He got a seed drill to plant oats, rye, sudan and triticale for the cows and it came up so nicely he has decided to give up broadcasting the seed and drill it all in now. I know tractor supply sells a 40 pound bag of seed specific for horse pasture.

 

[WinchesterGirl30]

Awesome thanks!