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[RC] Growing Pasture Grass - Becky Rohwer

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.
 
Becky R. - Montana