I'm ready to go organic, but I need help with the basics. I bought 3 acres in Hugo, OK (Southeast Oklahoma) in September 2003. There are grassburr plants every foot or so, with other weeds also. I have very little grass. I would like to have Bermuda grass this summer with no stickers surrounding my house. Am I dreaming? Since I want to treat at least 1 acre, I need ideas that are the most economical -- but that would work!

My soil is very sandy. I read that CGM is good as a preemergent. Is it too late? Since I need enough for 1 acre or more, does anyone know what types of places sell it the cheapest (feed mills??), or if there is a cheaper alternative? I live in a small town close to Paris, Texas. Therefore, availability of certain products is limited.

Someone also told me that I need humate. Where do you get that and how much should that cost?

I've heard so many different things, I'm confused now. Do I need CGM, molasses, humate, compost, beneficial nematodes, or what?

I can get trailer loads of manure very cheap. Would that help the land?

I've also been invaded by ants (several different kinds). I am afraid to stand too long in one place in the yard because of thousands of ant hills.

I have tilled up about 1,000 square feet to use as a garden. I assume that whatever I end up doing to the 1-3 acres, I can do the same in the garden to improve it.

Thanks for any help.

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Charlotte

To get the results that you want, this will not be cheap and easy. So, consider taking a reasonable area and improving it. Then do some more as you can afford it. I would suggest using a bag mower before you till anything. Some of your weeds could have seeds before you get to them. Example: your grasspurs.

It is probably too late for a preemergent but CGM still makes a wonderful ammendment. Where ever you put compost, good things will grow. To help with the ants, use dry mollasses. They also dislike DE. Using anti-fuego or home made anti-fuego on the mounds will get good results too.

Bermuda is economical but it may not be the best long term choice. The advantage is the quick growth to compete with the weeds. The disadvantage is the quick growth also.

I did a project like this once. I did leave 3/4 of an acre to the Mesquites, Prickly Pear and wild flowers. I only removed the tall weeds. My walk way extended through this area. My windmill was in this area. My stables bordered it. This gave my garden a little diversity. I really liked it.

Thank you, Zane, for your reply. I'm soaking up any opinions I can get.

I just got results back from a soil test OSU did on the land. It said the soil is deficient in nitrogen (needs .9 lb/1000 sq. ft), phosphorus (needs .6 lb/1000 sq. ft annually) and potassium (needs 2 lb/1000 sq. ft. annually). My local extension office told me to put 2 1/2 lbs./1000 sq. ft. of 34-0-0 as needed, 1 1/2 lbs/1000 sq. ft. of 18-46-0 annually, and 3 1/2 lbs./1000 sq. ft. of 0-0-60 annually. Does anyone know what organic materials/fertilizers I would use that would correlate with the above analyses suggested?

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Charlotte

Unless you want to spend your life mowing, bermuda is impractical on acreage. I would suggest a turf that loves to be tall, not one that loves to be extremely short. Yes, bermuda will grow tall, but that doesn't mean it won't be thin and full of weeds while its growing tall.

I would suggest a mix (eventually) of tall fescue and white Dutch clover. If you mix the two together, you will really be surprised how nice it looks. Both love to be mowed tall, too. In the winter you could plant wheat, oats, or rye.

Tall grass is great at keeping all the natural rainwater on your property and it also keeps weeds to a very minimum.

The clover will extract nitrogen from the air and deposit it in a bacterial complex under the soil surface. This is a huge benefit.

Is there any chance you will be putting a cow, goats, sheep, or chickens on the land? They will do wonders at improving the area, too. The cattle live great on the fescue and clover. The sheep and goats will need scrubbier brush to eat. The chickens will eat the grass and clover, along with grubbing through the large animals' manure for worm and fly larvae.

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David Hall
Moderator
Dirt Doctor Lawns Forum

I thought of doing the same thing on my one acre plot and once I realized the actual size of an acre and the cost involved in trying to amend and seed it I quickly changed my mind. One acre is over 43K sq ft. and most amendments cover about 3K sq ft per bag. Unless you have a lot of money or can get a great deal on seed and amendments I would pick a small portion of your property and work that area. I agree with Dchall_San_Antonio that if you do decide to seed the entire three acres that you should use Tall Fescue and White Dutch Clover.

Good Luck,

I agree, start with an acre and work your way up, or measure off a good sized yard and start there. As always, molasses and humate are the most cost effective and easy to add amendments.

Unless I'm nuts, from that analysis you gave it sounds like any 2-1-3 (and that sounds like too much potassium) ratio fertilzer will work. Most are at a 3-1-2 ration but hey, it's open season. You might think about sending another analysis down to Texas Plant & Soil Labs...I'd bet you'd get a different analysis. Anyof the organic fertilizers will be good so look around and get the least expensive one you can find. If you are adding the amendments, mulching the cuttings and getting enough water on the area you want to improve, cut the rate down to half their recommended rate. It's not optimum but it's frugal.

If you have friends with horses or cattle, or better yet rabbits or goats, see if you can get some composted manure and spread it out a little at a time. It does good work on the soil in short order. I have a friend that loans her goat to her neighbor. The neighbor uses moveable electical fencing to rotate the goat around her yard for a few weeks, then returns the goat to her friend. Sounds like a cost effective plan to me!

Hope this is helpful. Good luck!