What really is overseeding? You just can't throw seed down and expet it to come up in the spring? Do I need to cut down the area first are what? I have planted switchgrass and sorgrum in this area and all that seems to come up is weeds. I don't have a tractor to work the land up much, I'm using my 6x6, so I need to make my effords count. I would like to have some tall plants to concel my clover field from to road. Need some advice?

Grey Ghost -

Sounds like you have what you want in mind -

Overseeding may work - but to really have a chance what you should do is mow it - wait 2 weeks - then spray a ROUNDUP type product to kill all vegitation. Then overseed with an annual seed like Rye, wheat etc.

Sorghum, and corn really need to be covered to come up worth a darn. You might be able to mix some in - but for the most part - unless you can disk or drill it in - you are only feeding mice. Switchgrass should come OK - Other tall grasses are a possibility - but even with grasses - is important to expose some soil after burning off with roundup.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but mowing and spraying with Roundup sounds like starting over fresh. Overseeding to me is adding seed to a plot that is partly established and needs bare spots covered, or adding something like annual Rye to help deter grasses and give cover to what is already there. I overseeded 4 plots (small) that was getting some grasses with Rye. Another plot that the grasses had taken over I retilled three times, about a week apart and reseeded with clover and annual rye.

Russ

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when I overseed a dying plot, i like to prodcast the new seed first, THEN mow the plot. The mowing will give you mulch to cover the new seed, which in turn will hold moisture and lead to better germination rates. Taz

Yes, I don't want to start all over, I just wanted to add something to the plot I already have. I'm thinking that I should wait until late Winter to mow the standing weeds, give the birds something to hide-in. Then plant more cover. I have about two acres of Imperial W/T Clover next to this plot. Anything I'm forgetting??

I misunderstood a bit - but still you should understand that overseeding seed into an established sod bed of weeds - does not work well - thats why I mentioned using roundup. If your plot is just thin - then overseeding can be at least wirth a try.

Sseeding and then mowing real tight - can work to some extent. You definitely have to mow though to have a fighting chance. Some people like to "frost seed" in Late winter - right on the snow. This is fairly common in pasture maintanence.

eg http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/...cts/98-071.htm

good luck

It is terminology , when I was overseeding lawns I was using a slit seeder that seeded right on the existing lawn, When I was renovating a lawn I would kill it with roundup and then overseed it, The purpose of either operation was that the grade and soil did not need changing, it was to eliminate the plowing , discing, grading or whatever else , just get the seed in. It sould be the same for whatever seed you are going to plant, any seed , any style of planting , the seed still needs to make contact with the soil, not sitting on a bed of grass mulch...

I read that if you want to overseed an existing plot, the best time to do it is in late winter or early spring. Hopefully after the last snowfall, before the ground thaws. By overseeding over the snow, the seed will work into the ground as the snow melts and the ground thaws out. Seems logical. I plan to overseed my existing clover plot that was this coming year. Hope it works out.