I just walked around in my pasture today for a little
bit. I don't know if I should feel discouraged or just need to be more
patient. I have about 4 acres of pasture. The ground is just sticky
gooey clay soil. It is pretty much straight alfalfa right now
though. Early this spring I spread 100 pounds of dry land pasture mix on
about 2 acres so was a pretty heavy spread. I had the pasture drug with a
harrow about a week later. It was only gone over once so as not to bury
the seed too deep in the clay soil.
So here is my worry. When walking the pasture I can see
some grass here and there, but for all the seed I spread it seems pretty
spotty. Also the grass I do see is very fine and pretty dry looking.
I do irrigate the area, but am just using a couple long hoses and two good sized
sprinklers, the type that you would see on a regular pipe type irrigation
system. It has been hot the last few weeks, but for our area we have had
some pretty decent rain this summer. I know grasses will grow in the soil,
it just seems hard to get them started. My two horses do graze the area,
but are not out there 24 / 7. Do I just need to be patient. Could it
be that the root system is doing more developing than the above ground
vegetation at this point.
I had seeded a bare area last year around the perimeter of my
yard that is coming in, although it is not very thick, pretty spotty, but
there. When I seeded it last year I didn't see much, but it did come in
better this year. Do I just need to be patient and see what next year
brings? Should I put some money into having the seed drilled into the
ground instead of just top spreading. I know there are pasture experts out
there with good advice.