Well Im going to walk the plank and try some full on throw n mow.
Going to plant 5 fields and all will be split Throw n Mow and traditional; bushhog then disked prepared seed bed.
The fields have been fallow for 5 years and are a mixture full on fields of grasses, bush's, and viney growth and / or cleatcut pines rows that was bad arse coastal.bermuda for decades and surprisingly bermuda has dominated volunteer pine regrowth.
Looking forward to some input from all of you as this is my goal for the next 45 days.
I wouldn’t do a one year side by side comparison and then try to draw conclusions from it. If the field hasn’t been tilled in years then it’s likely got a good reserve of OM built up. When you till it this time, it’s gonna cause a rapid burn of OM and release nutrients in the process. Your tilled plot will likely thrive this year as a result.
If you want to do a true side by side comparison then pull a soil sample from both sides right now and have them tested for your basic nutrients plus organic matter %.....Then do that each year for the next 5 years and compare the two tests each year…..Compare what happens to the OM%.....Compare how well they hold P&K in 5 years …..Compare how well they hold onto your lime when you add it……..Compare plant growth in 5 years…..That is how you will see a much truer picture.
As far as this year goes….it sounds like you have a good set up for a T&M planting. Being your first time, you may be better off to go ahead and spray a couple weeks ahead of planting. You’ll probably like the cleaner look. After you start getting a good kill just broadcast your seed into vegetation and mow it. You’re likely gonna want to mow over it twice to process the hay and spread it evenly over the field. Don’t be in a hurry and leave big clumps and wind rows.
