I have a section of field that was planted in fall rye approx 2 years ago. It’s my understanding that this is not great grazing for horses and i’d like to use that space! What can i do to clear the rye and replant with a mix? I’m in the PNW - good soil / clay soil.
Do you mean perennial Rye? The alternative is Winter Rye, which would be killed by cold. Do you not get cold enough?
Your best start is your county agricultural extension office. They can tell you what grasses grow best, for equine grazing, when to plan them, and help you get a soil sample to know how/if to lime, and what fertilization is needed.
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generally, to clear grass, all it takes is one application of roundup. Pernicious species like johnson grass would take more applications or more potent stuff. Once killed, you can till it in to create a good planting bed, or rent a seed drill (usually the local co-op has them for rent when you buy seed).
But like JB said, your county extension office would be a fantastic resource for these kinds of questions.
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After checking with your local Extension Service on successful grazing plants for your area, getting soil tests done for needed fertilizer, you could till the land and plant or mow the rye short and plant with a no-till drill. You may be able to rent the equipment. The local no-till drill needs a 40hp tractor, PTO and live hydraulics. Various width rototiller type implements (4-5-6ft widths) will need various size tractors with a PTO to power it. They can really turn up the dirt, but it might need doing in North to South and East to West for good looking dirt, not clumpy. Also a weighted chain drag/harrow after broadcast seeding to semi-cover the seed for dirt contact. Or use a cultipacker (special roller) to press seed into into contact with the soil for good germination rates. More passes with machines with tilling and seeding. One pass with the no-till drill, but it can be hard to locate one for use, needs the bigger tractor.
Having clay myself, I would recommend the use of no-till drill over tilling the land to expose the clay. It took almost 2 years to get good coverage going on the field after tilling. There were MANY stuck tractors trying to spread manure on it. The loaded fertilizer wagon took THREE tractors, lots of digging, boards under wheels to get wagon out of the field, despite it having big balloon tires! This was after I safely spread manure in that area without even leaving vehicle tracks!!
We planted a mix of grass for hay, but I firmly believe the shorter Bluegrass getting thick, making turf, is what has that clay mix dirt solid now for driving on in all seasons. I fearlessly spread fertilizer using the big spreader wagons now, without ever getting stuck! But bluegrass may not grow well in your area, not solve a wet clay dirt issue.
On fertilizer, use Ammonium Sulfate for needed Nitrogen instead of Urea. Urea can cause Urea Poisoning which causes lamanitic issues in ALL hooved animals. Urea is also known for vaporizing if you don’t get a quick rain to put it into the soil after spreading. Ammonium Sulfate is more stable, does not vaporize laying or sitting around until it gets rained in. Price was the same when I bought. Just be sure to keep repeating “No urea, this is for horses!” at the fertilizer plant! Ha ha
Be really careful seeding what they recommend, some may not be that good for horses, like clovers. Read up on grass varieties before considering using them. And alfalfa does not share nutrients well with it’s neighbors! Alfalfa will kill off plants nearby, so that seed would be wasted money! You want a variety so something is always growing in cold or warm times. Birds-foot Trefoil is an alfalfa cousin though not as picky, putting nitrogen in the soil, doesn’t mind wet feet in clay dirt, grows among grass plants. Horses like it, reseeds itself, pretty tough.
I would not spray the field with an herbicide. Let the rye grow among the other grasses. The prices on herbicide have almost tripled in the last couple years. With grazing, regular mowing, the planted seeds will overtake the rye in time. Mowing prevents seed setting, to reseed if that worries you. Mow high, no shorter than 5 inches, don’t let grass get taller than about 10 inches to set seed, unless you never get much rain in summer. Mowing DOES make stronger roots on the grass plants, so they are better able to manage drought, grazing. Setting seed lets plants go dormant, they reproduced, job is done, not growing for you.
Good luck with the new field!
@goodhors Thank you so much - this is all so helpful! Still winter here but the time to get working is coming soon!
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