Last fall I had to wait until mid-Nov. to spray the tall fescue in my field because of the wetter than normal conditions we had since late July. And even though my tractor had turf tires on it, it left some ruts in the wetter areas. But never did I think that come Feb. I would have an even wetter situation to manage.
Last year at this time I was disking to regenerate the seedbank; and, even though the blackland clay was sticky and hard to work, I was able to beat back the fescue and generate considerable native grasses, including both red and white clover.
However, all winter long the frequent moisture has never let the soil dry out. Being clay, it is vertically impermeable so the moisture is ever so slow to dissipate. In fact, it has been so wet here all winter that it is impossible to walk around out back w/o slipping around or getting stuck in the mud. Consequently, the native grasses have been slow to germinate, and the erosion has been increasing. Plus, I was unable to plow the dead fescue under to utilize it better as fertilizer.
These were unforeseen problems that, by all rights, would never have occurred had we not had such an unusually wet year. But w/ El Nino pushing the storm track more southerly than normal, we have the current situation. And it doesn't appear that the situation will improve any time soon.
On the positive side I am seeing some regeneration of small patches of bunch grasses, in places. But, until the warm weather and sunshine begin to be more consistent, the regrowth will be slow. I can only hope that it will dry out enough w/ the March winds to, at least, allow some light disking and early successional regrowth before any heavy spring rains begin.
So, if the Good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise, maybe I'll be able to salvage something of my plan to replace the tall fescue w/ native grasses. But conditions have been much less than optimal here in this wetter than normal year.
Now watch it turn off hot and dry this summer, and the blackland get hard as a rock and crack wide open. Such is life on the blackland prairie...
5 comments:
More rain last night and this AM... Will it ever end???
Still so wet the gumbo binds up my disk and gets so heavy that my little tractor can't pick it up. This is the most unusually wet year I can remember. Surely messes up all my plans so far...
Well, I finally got my field plowed this week. It's supposed to rain again this weekend, but at least I got it busted up into a chunky seedbed. It took 4 passes w/ my disk criss crossing at 90 degrees. Hopefully, any rain we get this time will allow the seedbank to germinate whatever native grasses and forbs were uncovered. It should be interesting to see what actually does come up. It should be more interesting to hear what the neighbors will say when they find out I went to all that trouble just to grow grass and weeds...
Got about 1/2 in. of slow soaking rain last weekend. Everything soaked in... should be excellent for germinating the seedbank in my field. Already seeing sprigs of forbs, grasses, and clover popping up. Birds and squirrels are certainly checking it out... lots more doves than normal hanging around. Can't wait to for things to explode...
Well, it's hot out now(104-105) and I've got a field full of native grasses and forbs. I've mowed it a couple of times since the nesting season, but I think I'll let it grow for now.
It really looks lush and green right now. Usually it's all dry and brown this time of year. We've had sufficient rain so far, but none in sight for awhile.
There are still some bare spots that are filling in around the edges, but for the most part, the fescue is gone where it was sprayed. There is still some around the edges down by the creek and in the neighbor's field, but I am real pleased w/ the result of my project. It wasn't by the book, but it worked...
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