Need advice about re-seeding a hay field

[KeyboardJungle]

I have about an acre and a half that has become a botannical garden of noxious weeds. It is probably less than 25% desireable grasses, so I need to start all over. I am thinking about burning off all the existing vegetation with glyphosphate after the first cutting, and creating a seedbed with the tiller. But I'm not sure about the re-seeding process.

Has anybody tried to reseed with a broadcast spreader, and then perhaps rolling it? If so, what kind of luck did you have? Did it work? Any advice?

I plan to do this in the late summer or early fall.

[johnH123]

I've have good luck with broadcasting seed and running a light disk harrow over it afterwards.

[Cutty72]

I second the harrow thought.
We had good luck with that on the farm. You could roll too if necessary, but the harrow should level it decently.

[GWT3046r]

Many ways to skin the cat. In your situation, I would gly the field, wait a week and make sure you don't need to reapply. Then, cut it as short as possible. Rent a 3 point slit seeder or grain drill and call it good. This will cut a small trench, drop the seed, and cover it back up. All of those dead weeds you mowed down will serve as cover and moisture retention for the newly emerging seed.

Minimal disturbance to your field and top soil.

If you gly the field and then turn up a bunch of new soil, you're just introducing an entire new seedbed of weeds that you'll have to get under control again. There's millions of seeds in your soil just waiting for their chance to grow

[CADplans]

I would never start over, unless the weeds were some type of grass.

Application of 2-4-D will destroy any broadleaf (or, non-grass) plant. the grass will remain behind.
Without competition, the grass quickly fills in.

The negative of 2-4-D: DO NOT SEED after application
2-4-D will inhibit any seed from sprouting.

So, if you really want to seed, do not apply 2-4-D.

[KeyboardJungle]

I would never start over, unless the weeds were some type of grass.

Application of 2-4-D will destroy any broadleaf (or, non-grass) plant. the grass will remain behind.
Without competition, the grass quickly fills in.

The negative of 2-4-D: DO NOT SEED after application
2-4-D will inhibit any seed from sprouting.

So, if you really want to seed, do not apply 2-4-D.

The biggest culprit is Johnson grass. But there are a lot of other bunch type grasses that I haven't yet identified. The primary broadleaf bad actors are horse nettle and milkweed.

I'll probably wait to see how the first cutting goes before I make a final decision, but the idea overseeding (vs. gly and reseeding) is still on the table.

[CADplans]

The biggest culprit is Johnson grass.

I know Johnson grass is B A D !!,, but, one way to control it is treflan, that works pretty much 100%.

The other way is frequent cutting.
My BIL's farm was Johnson grass everywhere, 2,000 acres. EXCEPT,, his lawn, and around the house.

The frequent cutting obliterated it,, there was never any near the house.

[jdmich]

Last year we did a first cutting then We turned two of our fields over. Rock picked them. Disk and spring tooth them. We’ve had good luck with broadcast speader then use cultipacker over it. All ours come up good. Last two we did is oats and alfalfa.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=13TE8HLFHbs

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Uaa2WLe9IQs

[Herminator]

I like the idea of killing the broad leaves And getting a Seeder to go over it. If there is a reason you need to re-level it or change something then I would work it up and see if a local farmer you’re friends with has a grain drill or rent a seeder. Good works is right though once you till it you will probably have to spray for weeds later in the year Or at least walk it and stay on top of pulling thistles for the first month.

[KeyboardJungle]

I like the idea of killing the broad leaves And getting a Seeder to go over it. If there is a reason you need to re-level it or change something then I would work it up and see if a local farmer you’re friends with has a grain drill or rent a seeder. Good works is right though once you till it you will probably have to spray for weeds later in the year Or at least walk it and stay on top of pulling thistles for the first month.

If I decide to completely burn it off, then my thoughts are to

• hit it with gly right after the first cutting,
• then till down an inch or two as soon as it looks like everything has died, and
• continue spraying as necessary until late August,
• at which time I will overseed.

Hopefully, any seed that is lying in wait will sprout in time for me to beat it back down before I overseed in August. But, yes, I am worried that I end up with the same mess that I started with by basically planting seeds with the tiller.