# Hay land rejuvenation



## 8gross (Sep 12, 2011)

Trying to get some productivity off abandon hay land. Put a 150lbs/ac of fertilizer down this spring. Don't remember the blend though. Still having areas where there was no difference in production as well as a few dead spots in the field. The soil is grey wooded. Is it still possible to get production out of it or is it time to get it broken and re-seeded. Curious what you guys think this is only my third year in the hay game.


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## JTG (Feb 25, 2011)

Did you do a soil sample? What is the PH?


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

If you didn't soil sample, get one. Fertilizer is too expensive to put on without one. I don't know your soil but here it will always need more lime. I could apply 5 ton per acre and still need more lime.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Some parts of fertilizer, like KO2, and lime can take several years to really take effect.

Get soil tests and talk to a local agronomist about what you need to do.

Ralph


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## 8gross (Sep 12, 2011)

Got a soil test done last fall on this field but having problems posting it. The answer to the ph question is 6.7.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

What is the drainage like in the poor areas? Did they have winterkill there? A bunch of our fields had terrible winterkill in the waterways from rain pooling and deep freeze in the winter.

No rock close to the surface in those areas?


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## 8gross (Sep 12, 2011)

Drainage is good. The field slopes to the north and south. The dead spots just seem to be random. The soil is hard as a rock so that might be part of the problem.


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## terraceridge (Jul 21, 2011)

8gross said:


> Got a soil test done last fall on this field but having problems posting it. The answer to the ph question is 6.7.


I don't know what type of hay you are growing, but your pH is good for most crops.


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## 8gross (Sep 12, 2011)

The hay is alfalfa-brome grass mix. The other thing that crossed my mind is that this field has a real bad soil compaction problem. It's hard as a rock. I've dug out some alfalfa crowns and tap roots and the roots will grow a 90 degree angles following the cracks in the soil.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I bet you got a nasty hard pan on top. 
Might not work in your area, but guys down here will throw 2" black mushroom soil on top in winter. They claim earthworms will work their way up to get it and create a lot of holes and carry it down into hard pan. My guess is its be faster to put mushroom soil on top and disc harrow it in??


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

JD3430 said:


> I bet you got a nasty hard pan on top.
> Might not work in your area, but guys down here will throw 2" black mushroom soil on top in winter. They claim earthworms will work their way up to get it and create a lot of holes and carry it down into hard pan. My guess is its be faster to put mushroom soil on top and disc harrow it in??


Or plant some tillage radish in the bare spots along with the compost.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Maybe need to pull a subsoiler to break up the hard pan.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

FarmerCline said:


> Maybe need to pull a subsoiler to break up the hard pan.


We install our own drainage tile, I can tell you at least around here no subsoiler made can go that deep. Compaction can go a long ways down.

Improving drainage, freeze and thawing, not adding to the already existing problem, increasing soil organic matter thru cover crops and tillage radish can all help to alleviate compaction problems, a subsoiler would be a quick partial fix.


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