I spent some time this weekend working on preparing for planting this fall. I cut the areas that are going to remain grass and ran the disc harrow over the major areas that are going to get planted. There are four major areas that had a low enough tree density to turn the soil. the largest area I had turned a bit a couple weeks ago. I hit that area again today for a second pass and got the other areas on a first pass. The grass is pretty long, making it hard to break through to the soil. But, the disc is killing the grass at the surface and will prompt seed growth in the soil. The goal is two fold. First, the seed that I plant in November needs to get to the soil in order to germinate. Second, the main competition for the new grasses and other plants will be the existing seed load in the soil. By killing the top grass and exposing the soil, the seed bank is forced to sprout and this leaves less seed of undesirable grasses in the soil later.
I posted a number pf pictures to a new page, titled Progress Photos. The areas in preparation are kind of dead looking. Not that much to see. But, I do have a picture of the new tractor. I think she needs a name. I am open to suggestion.
I have good notes on the failure of the Long Leaf pine to regenerate after being logged out, but need to sit down and write it properly. The short answer is pigs, or what we call today, feral hogs. Go figure.
