The biggest single cause for stand failure is overworking the soil and inadequate surface packing. Ever notice how seedlings will often grow better in the tractor wheel tracks? In trying to get a fine seed bed many farmers end up with a soft, fluffy, flour-like seed bed caused by excessive tillage. Rototiller mania! This is a disaster waiting to happen as this fluffy layer is a moisture barrier preventing the subsurface moisture needed to germinate the seed from moving upwards reaching the seed. (Ask the cook what happens when you dump water in a bowl full of flour. It just sits on the top and will sit there until it is mixed together.) To prevent or minimize this, it is recommended that the seed bed be tilled only enough to create pea size soil particles, then rolled or cultipacked both before and after planting! Without packing, the seed may germinate but might not have enough moisture wicking up through the soil to grow. A firm and moist seed bed is preferred.
Planting with grain drills may be acceptable for the establishment of fields used for hay. They are not preferred for the establishment of improved pastures. They place seed in 6-7” rows and often plant grasses too deep. Pastures need to be uniform to form a dense sod for high production and to support the livestock. If you must use a grain drill, seed very shallow, and seed in both the NS and EW directions. When using a seed drill, press wheels can be used and will frequently improve stand yields by 15%. Super grass stands are frequently established with spin seeders or grain drills with the bottoms of the tubes loose and scattering the seed, a chain harrow, and a cultipacker or heavy roller. The Brillion brand of cultipacker-seeder is excellent to use. The field can be cultipacked first and then seeded and packed on the second pass.
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