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best way to reclaim a grown up field

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azgide

11-04-2003 19:23:30




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This may be a little off topic but I've got about seven acres that has not been used is about 10 years. Mowed every year but has been mostly taken over by blackberry briers and an assortmemt of bushes. Thought about disking and plowing hoping to kill off the briers. Any recomendations short of using Roundup. (I've got time and and energy but not to much spare cash) Hope to someday make into some usefull, possibly cut some hay off it. Thanks in advance, any recomendations are appreciated.

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azglide

11-08-2003 06:30:19




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 Re: best way to reclaim a grown up field in reply to azgide, 11-04-2003 19:23:30  
Thanks everyone for the advise. Think it may be a little late in the year to plow it so I think I'll give the turkeys a place to hang out until spring. Pawel, I use a '54 NAA and a '58 Farmall 140. Both fine tractors, can't decide which one I like best. Thanks again, AZ



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Jerry/MT

11-07-2003 11:14:22




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 Re: best way to reclaim a grown up field in reply to azgide, 11-04-2003 19:23:30  
Mow it all down, plow and disc it (blackberries don't like tillage) and seed it to grass. If you want to just cut hay and not graze it, seed with timothy, rye and clover ot you can try alfalfa, but it's harder to establish.(It also takes a little more expertise to make good alfalfa hay.) Make sure you soil test to see if your pH is near neutral.Lime and add fertilize to the recommendations from your soil test. I like to establish pastures in the fall because moisture on the young grass is pretty dependable on the new plants and there is less weed competition. Hope this helps.

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Bob

11-05-2003 18:19:39




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 Re: best way to reclaim a grown up field in reply to azgide, 11-04-2003 19:23:30  
Nothing kills blackberry bushes like lime. Test you soil and bring it up to requirements for what you want to raise. Mowing often will do the trick but you have other soil problems or you wouldn't have the black berries to begin with. Most native grasses are not good hay so since you are going to this trouble start with an objective plus it will give your local agent a chance to make a good recommendation. His services are generally free. Good luck from Flourette Farm..... ..

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FordTractorMan

11-05-2003 12:48:30




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 Re: best way to reclaim a grown up field in reply to azgide, 11-04-2003 19:23:30  
You've got 2 viable options here. You can mow it frequently, keeping the top growth really short. This will make considerably less plant available to carry out photosynthesis, in effect starving the plant. This is the best, cheapest way I know of to kill out Johnson grass and the principle applies to any plant. You can also plow it deep right now before winter, and disk it several times early in the spring (I think someone else suggested this, too). Either way will take care of the growth problem. If you plan to seed a hay crop (or any other kind), a soil test is a good idea. Good luck!

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wvbill

11-05-2003 11:18:20




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 Re: best way to reclaim a grown up field in reply to azgide, 11-04-2003 19:23:30  
try mowing it twice a year and see what happens.. we have done this one year and then baled it the next year,still some briers but sold for mulch anyways. every year it gets better and better.



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Pawel

11-05-2003 04:29:59




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 Re: best way to reclaim a grown up field in reply to azgide, 11-04-2003 19:23:30  
If the bushes aren't too big, you can try a sickle bar mower. Then I would try to plow it with the widest plow availiable and plant a cover crop ( winter rye) for the winter. In the spring, work it again, only when the soil is dry enough. Wait another while (untill BABY weeds start to show), then go over it again, each time very lightly. Do this untill, about 1 month before you want to plant your crop. Then when you want to plant it, disc it, then plant your crop. The results will be much more weed free than just discing it and throwing in a crop- I tried both ways. Hope this helps- by the way, what kind of a tractor do you have?

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RickB.

11-05-2003 03:22:10




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 Re: best way to reclaim a grown up field in reply to azgide, 11-04-2003 19:23:30  
Roundup isn't real effective on woody plants. Bushes can't be too big if it's mowed annually. I'd go the tillage route.



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John A (TX)

11-04-2003 20:18:08




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 Re: best way to reclaim a grown up field in reply to azgide, 11-04-2003 19:23:30  
Sounds like a chat with your county ag extension agent might be as good a place to start as any. First thing he'll probably recommend is a soil test to see what's needed to support different crops/animals. He should also be able to give you a run-down on what's typically grown in your area and the economics of producing it. After that comes the reclamation advice.

Good luck, HTH and, as always, YMMV ...
~ja

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old

11-04-2003 20:10:22




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 Re: best way to reclaim a grown up field in reply to azgide, 11-04-2003 19:23:30  
Well this depends on where you are I'd first burn it off. Best done right after a rain less like to get away from you. Then I'd disk it up and plant some winter wheat and a clover mix /grass. But if your up north its a little late to do the planting. Hope this give you some ideas away



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jammar

11-05-2003 10:11:42




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 Re: Re: best way to reclaim a grown up field in reply to old, 11-04-2003 20:10:22  
I have had good luck reclaiming a field using a rotary cutter ( bush hog ). The repetitive cutting keeps the weeds from going to seed and the briars lose their vitality. The big stuff like hedge trees have to be cut and the smaller ones can be pulled with the tractor after the ground softens. Pulling gets most of the roots and controls the regrowth. Overseeding with legumes and grass plus fertilizing and lime help, too. Soil tests are cost effective.

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RB/CT

11-05-2003 14:35:02




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 Re: Re: Re: best way to reclaim a grown up field in reply to jammar, 11-05-2003 10:11:42  
You could always spot spray with Roundup, I know, I do on my 10 acre field. Its not all that big. I think bushogging on the summer holidays, Memorial, Fourth of July, and Labor Day, will just keep making the field better and better. As said before, you could overseed it, or in the spring, take your chances with Frost Seeding it. Having it limed, (2tons acre), will add to the success. Good Luck. After its all done, and freshly cut, lie in the middle of the field, and enjoy what you created.

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