Should I drag it or not?

[4HAND]

Had a portion of my property cleared & planted with Argentine Bahia. My question is can I lightly drag this area to level the humps?
One buddy says drag it.
Another Buddy says not to because it'll expose the grass seed.
(Neither of whom are farmers)
Opinions?

 

[NCHillbilly]

How was the grass seed planted? If it was broadcast, I would definitely drag it.

 

[livinoutdoors]

If it were broadcast seeded drag lightly. If it werent dont. Also i guess rain forecast would make a difference.

 

[sghoghunter]

IMO I do not drag anything after I broadcast seed. I tried that method one time years ago and I wound up with sticks and grass hung up in the drag and most of the seed as well. What I would have done was drag before I seeded then broadcast seed and let rain beat in. As soon as you get a couple rains on that it’ll be smooth anyway

 

[Gator89]

An old log of say a 6 inch post would likely be beneficial.

Don't use a drag so heavy it creates a pig pile of dirt ahead of the drag.

 

[Batjack]

How big is the area? If it's less than a acre flip a garden rake over and smooth it (get your kids to do it, they're big and strong), if it's bigger drag it with a piece of chain link fence (with both kids pull'n it).

 

[Spotlite]

Landscape rake about 1/2 deep

 

[NCHillbilly]

IMO I do not drag anything after I broadcast seed. I tried that method one time years ago and I wound up with sticks and grass hung up in the drag and most of the seed as well. What I would have done was drag before I seeded then broadcast seed and let rain beat in. As soon as you get a couple rains on that it’ll be smooth anyway

I am the total opposite. Rain ain't gonna "beat it in." I want soil contact and coverage with seed. Decades of seeding stuff commercially when lots of money is at stake has taught me that dragging it is often the difference between a good stand of grass, and none, or sparse, clumpy patches.

 

[fishfryer]

I am the total opposite. Rain ain't gonna "beat it in." I want soil contact and coverage with seed. Decades of seeding stuff commercially when lots of money is at stake has taught me that dragging it is often the difference between a good stand of grass, and none, or sparse, clumpy patches.

My comment is I’d need to know if the grass seed was planted with a drill. I can’t tell for sure if those are disk harrows marks or drill marks. If drilled I think I’d leave it alone. If broadcast after a light harrowing, I’d drag it.

 

[NCHillbilly]

My comment is I’d need to know if the grass seed was planted with a drill. I can’t tell for sure if those are disk harrows marks or drill marks. If drilled I think I’d leave it alone. If broadcast after a light harrowing, I’d drag it.

Yeah, that's what I was asking. If it was drilled, it don't need dragging.

 

[Jim Baker]

just a question.

Why bahia grass.

 

[4HAND]

It was drilled. The reason I want to drag it is to level the humps.
I planted Argentine Bahia because it is a hardy drought resitant grass

 

[Lilly001]

Can you roll it?
I’ve done it on small plots with a 4 wheeler.

 

[furtaker]

If it was drilled, I wouldn't think dragging it would expose the seed. If anything it would cover it with additional dirt.

If those are small humps of loose dirt like it appears, it will level out some with time and a little rain.

 

[B. White]

Looks like itty bitty humps to me, but might just be the pic. Leave it alone. You will never notice in a couple of years.

 

[4HAND]

Yes it's rows. Little humps.

 

[livinoutdoors]

No. Leave it be.

 

[Oldstick]

My tiny amount of experience with Bahia is that it seems to be impossible from stopping it where you don't want it to sprout. Almost seems to grow on bare rock. I always have to fight it constantly in the yard where it apparently drifts in from car tires after being picked up from the highways. Look at all the highways in South GA. All they did was spray out a mix of hay and Bahia onto the right of ways.

But you know they should have named Murphy's Law, Oldstick's Law. If I planted a field and wanted it to grow, it would all be dead in 2 months.

 

[4HAND]

I planted Argentine, not Pensacola.
It's what we planted 20 years ago when we built our house.
Had really good success with it.

 

[Oldstick]

I stand corrected. I did not even know there are other more lawn friendly varieties of bahia.