5 replies to this topic

[JD DANNELS]

I'm trying something different here.  Due to the slope and limited funds I'm trying to limit the tillage that would contribute to erosion.

The Goober that used to grow corn on this place ran a chisel Plow up the middle and left the trenches. With limited equipment I have not had a great deal of luck leveling it out so I could mow it. Now that I have the landscape rake I'm going to try raking it to level , create enough loose soil for seed to take, yet not enough tillage to erode. As you can see there are patches of good grass(where I've found seed on markdown) and really bad areas. Most of this has come in voluntarily and is weedy.

My goal is to grow grass that is clean enough to use as garden mulch. I have a 40 lb bag of waterway mix and will start seeding in patches until I do the whole property over a few years. That will give me some time to determine the best cash crop to fit my needs and limited time.

My property runs out to the propane tank you see in the background.

 

And there are now 3 piles like the one at my feet, that will go in the compost pile in hopes the heat will sterilize any weed seed.

'm thinking another project has come to mind. I need a manure scoop like implement to move all that mulch.

 

[Alc]

The sorghum grass that I've been planting seem to do well as mulch , but boy do you need a LOT  lol . I did  what your looking to do when I raked the sorghum and then planted  the winter rye ,I used my home made rake but yours will do the same i think

http://gardentractor...or-mulch/page-3

[JD DANNELS]

Yeah the grass mulch takes a lot too. Last year with the drought my acre lawn was not producing enough as fast as I needed it.
Since I have to mow the whole 8.9 acres whether it produces weeds or grass,it only makes sense to plant more grass.
If it grows more than I need, I can always feed it to the compost pile. I could use tons of compost building up the soil.

Edited by JD DANNELS, May 01, 2013 - 09:32 PM.

[Reverend Blair]

If you want to over-seed to avoid too much tillage, try mixing grass seed with topsoil.  It allows the grass to get established.  Once it's growing good you can take of the weeds with a good weed 'n feed spray.

 

The best thing for moving mulch is two teenage boys who screwed up the night before and are now extremely hung-over. If you're like me and don't own any of those, a loader would be the next best thing.

[oldedeeres]

You've probably thought of this, but in fall when everyone in town is raking and bagging their leaves,  knock on doors and ask if you can haul their bagged leaves away for them. Makes fantastic mulch and seldom has many weeds.

[Jordan9682]

I'm trying something different here.  Due to the slope and limited funds I'm trying to limit the tillage that would contribute to erosion.

For minimizing erosion and helping retain water. Throwing some straw (wheat, rye, oat. Etc) on. Put some on my garden in fall (little too much though) and it makes watering alot nicer because my "great" sand doesn't soak in extremely well if its bare