Pasture Improvement

[PatriciaPNW]

is the limit of light due to surrounding trees?

Oh, yes! I’m slowly cutting (firewood!) the silly line of trees at bottom slope - it’s west-facing. But I think another pear and 2 Italian plums - semi dwarf - to the north (right hand side). And deer mix - I can fence the trees until they’re taller. And maybe something in that rich soil that deer DON’T like. And clovers and wild flowers (on sale!). It’s a start. And I can see if a neighbor wants to grass a couple of sheep or similar next summer. Thank you folks!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

In the close up of the soil/vegetation, the vegetation looked mighty sparse. What time of year was it taken? Have you been letting the cover grow until it puts on mature seed heads? that would be key to getting good ground cover going, I would think. You could also spread some mulch hay. That's the cheapest way to get a good pasture crop going. However, make sure that they hay does not come from fields that have been treated with herbicides. Many of the newer generations of herbicides will pass into the hay, pass through the cow's gut, into the manure, persists in the compost so that the unsuspecting gardener ends up poisoning his soil by innocently adding hay, manure or compost from a contaminated source. Those herbicides have a VERY long half life.

 

[PatriciaPNW]

I’m learning a lot here, thanks. I put the clover on about a month ago and before that just mowed regularly. I will be following the deer food suggestions & wildflowers next fall mostly (when we can count on rain - supposedly). When it comes up two summers from now I will let it mature - good advice. I do have hays that was part of deep litter in the chicken coop but to you’re right - no idea where feed store got it. Thanks again

 

[Britesea]

You could try planting some medicinals in there too...