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York Raking before seeding???
Ive got a few areas of pasture that are loaded with ragweed...If I use my york rake to rough up and rip up some of the plants and grass there before I re seed will that help the grass to overtake the Ragweed??? Or will I just spread more Ragweed ????
Thanks
SOB
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York Raking before seeding???
I don't know a lot about this stuff but some non-expert impressions may prompt some knowable discussion. First is that I doubt that tearing up pasture with a rake and over-seeding will do much.
I think the main thing is to get rid of the rag weed seeds. Some species can be controlled by mowing before seeds mature. Other species won't grow where there's thick perennial grasses. Pre-emergence chemicals control annuals but chemicals may be undesirable. I think using products like Roundup is essentially starting over.
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York Raking before seeding???
I think I'd spray it all with Roundup before raking. That way you know the ragweed is dead before your seed. Just a thought.
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York Raking before seeding???
hey SOB1, tell me about your york rake (assuming you're refering to a landscape rake). a dealer wants me to buy a york instead of a landpride or a frontier (medium duty). the york is $200 more yet doesn't appear to be as hefty ($1050 vs 800 for a 72 inch).
do you recommend it/what about it could make it worth the extra bucks?
jim
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York Raking before seeding???
Hey Jim..... I'm not quite sure of the difference between the two, besides the $$$. But it sounds like the landscape/ land pride rake has more stuff on it than my old york rake. Mine is like 7'. I can only control it with the draft lever on the tractor. All other adjustments are made by moving a pin by hand. Its ok for rough work, but not very good for finishing I dont think...
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York Raking before seeding???
SOB;
What type of grass do you have in the pasture? I have Bahai and some Fiscue that was introduced by hay bales.
When I got my pasture I had a lot of weeds mixed in. I have a flex harrow and raked the pasture a number of times. I decreased the weeds but increased the amount of Fiscue. Bahai is a runner (reseeds by sending out runners) and does not like to be raked. I have committed the same sin with the landscape rake on the front lawn, which is Centipede.
I would not say I know that much about grass, but know realize that there are different types and what is recommended for one is not good for another.
If you have Bahai then the best would be to get the selective herbacide, spray and mow. Fescue, mow and rake, but be consistant with the mowing. Don't let the grass get very high. From what I know of rag weed continued mowing should remove it as it stands quite high.
My biggest trouble is the small trees.
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York Raking before seeding???
Hey Peters, I'm not really sure what type of grasses I have. It looks like a lot of junk if you ask me...Some vines and some thick scraggely stuff too. Theres also some funky stuff that looks like the leaves from a geranium plant too. If I had the equipt, Id plow it all under and start fresh...
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York Raking before seeding???
sob1,
If you have ragweed in your pasture, there could be some good reasons and reseeding may not be the answer.
First, Identify the weed. Make sure it is ragweed you are dealing with. It is my expierience that local names for weeds vary from the actual name. There are more than one type of ragweed, there is also a giant ragweed for instance.
Make sure you know what the weed really is. You may need the help of a crop specialist.
Second, Just reseeding the pasture will not always cure the weed problem. Get soil tests before reseeding and get special samples from the ragweed patches, there may be a fertility problem that keeps the grasses from competeing with the ragweeds. Sometimes, soil dranage is an issue, if the soil is wet in these areas especially in late spring, this could cause the grass to drowned out and ragweed seeds will germinate in late spring and summer and take over.
Pasture maintinence is a fine art, and seed is expensive. plowing it under and starting over is not always a bad idea. And I cannot even to begin what problems overgrazing can cause.
but if chemical aplication is the way you decide to go. I would use 2,4-d ester. it's cheap ($1.50/acre) it's safe to almost all grasses, and it will kill ragweed, small brush, and most other broadleaf weeds, even some perenials. you may have to use more than one application during the year. Just make sure you check the label before you let the animals back in to graze.
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York Raking before seeding???
GreenJeans, good point about 2,4-d I was aiming at a total vegetation killer, but if you want to keep the grasses and save some money 2,4-d is definately the ticket. (BTW I'm almost positive that is what is in Weed-B-Gone from Ortho but they charge about 10 times what it should cost)
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York Raking before seeding???
Well guys, I had my county extension guy there last year and he said that it WAS RAgweed and that I should probably just kill it all. Its not a wet area. I had heard of 2-4 d,but I'd like to try and do this without using chemicals if I can ... But I also dont wanna waste good $$$ on seed that wont take....Ive scuffed up the area pretty good with my rake. I see alot of dirt. Maybe the 2-4-d is the fastest and best way to go??
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