New pasture question

[devittjl]

I clear some land (1/2 acre) that was mixed cedar/fir trees and have planted a grass/clover mix which is growing well.

My question is should I just keep letting it grow and mow as necessay or should I turn it under to build up the dirt?

Eventually I plan on running some animals on it.

thanks

[Patt]

Just let it go.

[MattC]

Spend $10 and get a soil test done. If its coming out of timber, you may need to spread some lime. Your clover is fixing nitrogen. If its growing well I'd leave it alone. While plow down crops increase the tilth and can improve your soil, plowing it also allows your organcis to oxidize away. A soil test is the best way to guide. If your pH is low fertilizer won't work.

[CrashTestRanch]

Ditto MattC's post on the soil test ...

Agmantoo may chime in, he's a good pasture forage grass guru ... lot's of info stuck in his head on cultivating grass ...

[Bearfootfarm]

Let it grow and a lot of it may reseed itself

It shouldnt be turned under unless you want to replant with a different crop

[motdaugrnds]

The trick to any good pasture and/or vegetation is the care of the soil. You need to know your soil in order to grow a good pasture for your animals. Dig at least 6" into ground and take soil sample from the sides of that hole. Take several samples in various spots over your acreage; then get those samples to your county's agricultural department for testing. Only then can you know for sure how to deal with the soil that is supporting what you have planted.

[agmantoo]

devittjl

With good results on the first planting your are well on your way to having great results in the future. As others stated, keep the PH correct and never let the soil need but a minor correction. I do not know what part of Washington you are living but if it is where you get a lot of rain do stay off the soil when it is wet. Avoid soil compaction at all times. Did you broadcast or drill the seed you planted? Have you sown cool or warm season grasses? Folks tend to think wooded areas are rich in nutrients and trace minerals. That is not necessarily true. The trees were there 365 consuming. Where soil is questionable, I try to do all my growing using the top layer. I do not want to distribute (reduce) what is in the top layer by diluting that portion with the often depleted lower level. I would keep the sequence of letting the grass and clover reaching near seed production and then clipping back removing a few inches from the top leaves. This will accomplish two things. The plants will attempt to go through the cycle again creating additional growth and an equivalent amount of roots to what was cut off the tops will atrophy creating richer soil. By the time your planted area reaches its third year it should be nearing its capacity to produce.

[jwal10]

Just pasture it and adding the manure, spreading both what the livestock leave and what you clean from you stables. If weeds are present then mow high to keep weed seeds from developing. Lime or PH adjustment is good but I had pastures for years without it. Nothing better than livestock and a grass and legume mix. I didn't mow until the end of the season to let what did go to seed make seed. I really liked subterrannean clover as it seeds close to the ground. Harder to cut for hay but great for pastures. To revitalize just disk shallow, level with a flex harrow and pack, overseeding grasses as needed. The clover seed will set dormant for ever and when the soil is scratched it comes back with a vengence. If fertilized accordingly to the mix of grass to clover with a small variation of nitrogen to phosphate you can keep a healthy mix with a small amount of fertilizer ;ie) I use 10-20-20 if clover is light and 16-20 if grass is light. If grass is real light then straight nitrogen first in the spring to get grasses established....James