Revitalizing a Pasture from 10 Years of Neglect - Ask Extension
We purchased a property this past winter that has 3 acres of irrigation rights. The pasture has not been taken care of for 10 years (ish) and is in te...
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Revitalizing a Pasture from 10 Years of Neglect #872380
Asked June 10, 2024, 10:51 AM EDT
We purchased a property this past winter that has 3 acres of irrigation rights. The pasture has not been taken care of for 10 years (ish) and is in terrible shape... the dirt is dusty and powdery, it has mostly weeds, bare patches, and clumps of unwanted grasses. We want to create a horse pasture and are trying to figure out the best steps to get the soil healthy and grass growing, as well as get rid of unwanted weeds and grasses.
Deschutes County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Devin,
This may be easiest for me to explain on the phone, if you'd like to give me a call:<personal data hidden>
Briefly, you'll want to start by taking a soil sample for analysis, working to control any woody weeds, and removing any trash or debris.
You could then work to disk/plow/till the field this summer and water a time or two to sprout weed seeds and then kill those with further tillage. This fall (late Sept/early October) plant a smother crop of forage barley or triticale. Have that crop cut for hay, this time next year.
Plant, using a no-till drill, an irrigated pasture mix into the stubble of the smother crop in mid-September 2025. This will often be orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, Timothy, and smooth bromegrass. Fertilize at planting. Irrigate to germinate the seeds and then treat the new pasture gently in 2026.
Happy to discuss further.
Thanks
Gordon
This may be easiest for me to explain on the phone, if you'd like to give me a call:<personal data hidden>
Briefly, you'll want to start by taking a soil sample for analysis, working to control any woody weeds, and removing any trash or debris.
You could then work to disk/plow/till the field this summer and water a time or two to sprout weed seeds and then kill those with further tillage. This fall (late Sept/early October) plant a smother crop of forage barley or triticale. Have that crop cut for hay, this time next year.
Plant, using a no-till drill, an irrigated pasture mix into the stubble of the smother crop in mid-September 2025. This will often be orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, Timothy, and smooth bromegrass. Fertilize at planting. Irrigate to germinate the seeds and then treat the new pasture gently in 2026.
Happy to discuss further.
Thanks
Gordon
Thank you so much Gordon. What you said makes total sense. However I do have a few additional questions based on your response...
1. How/where to get soil analysis done?
2. When planting the smother crop in fall, we wont have irrigation anymore. We are on Tumalo irrigation and although this is our first year owning the property, I have been told that it goes away in August or early September. Will that be OK? Will it grow?
3. Also, you indicated that we should plant pasture mix in September 2025… Irrigation is gone at that point. Will it be OK and grow?
Thank you so much for all of your insight. I am new to all of this and really appreciate it.
Devin
1. How/where to get soil analysis done?
See two attached documents - one will guide you in collecting a samples and the other is a list of high-quality labs.
2. When planting the smother crop in fall, we wont have irrigation anymore. We are on Tumalo irrigation and although this is our first year owning the property, I have been told that it goes away in August or early September. Will that be OK? Will it grow?
You're right that planting any crop without irrigation is riskier. In many years, a cereal smother crop will be fine without irrigation. In that case I'd delay planting until October with an eye on planting as the first rains arrive. However, in some years we get very cold weather just as rain arrives and that can reduce the planting success. Planting a spring grain crop in March or April is an alternative, but you'd likely not have irrigation water at that point either and just rely on existing soil moisture until irrigation begins.
3. Also, you indicated that we should plant pasture mix in September 2025… Irrigation is gone at that point. Will it be OK and grow? You can plant the pasture grasses earlier in the summer, really whenever the smother crop has been harvested. Again, there's some risk with the weather. Very hot conditions mid-summer can reduce the success of seedling pastures. There are lots of variations on timings for planting, but I would aim to plant the pasture grasses when I thought I'd have irrigation water for at least several weeks after planting. Each year is a bit different, and there's alway some risk with the weather and water supply.
Gordon
See two attached documents - one will guide you in collecting a samples and the other is a list of high-quality labs.
2. When planting the smother crop in fall, we wont have irrigation anymore. We are on Tumalo irrigation and although this is our first year owning the property, I have been told that it goes away in August or early September. Will that be OK? Will it grow?
You're right that planting any crop without irrigation is riskier. In many years, a cereal smother crop will be fine without irrigation. In that case I'd delay planting until October with an eye on planting as the first rains arrive. However, in some years we get very cold weather just as rain arrives and that can reduce the planting success. Planting a spring grain crop in March or April is an alternative, but you'd likely not have irrigation water at that point either and just rely on existing soil moisture until irrigation begins.
3. Also, you indicated that we should plant pasture mix in September 2025… Irrigation is gone at that point. Will it be OK and grow? You can plant the pasture grasses earlier in the summer, really whenever the smother crop has been harvested. Again, there's some risk with the weather. Very hot conditions mid-summer can reduce the success of seedling pastures. There are lots of variations on timings for planting, but I would aim to plant the pasture grasses when I thought I'd have irrigation water for at least several weeks after planting. Each year is a bit different, and there's alway some risk with the weather and water supply.
Gordon
