Roughing up the thick grass sod allows the seed to reach the soil surface and improves establishment.
A homemade implement can be constructed from used tires that can be dragged across the field with a tractor or ATV to scarify the sod.
The tire drag is made from road-grader tires cut in half vertically to create two ‘doughnuts.’ Six cut tires are arranged in a pyramid pattern with one tire in front and three in the back.
The tires are attached together with flexible snap links. This allows the drag to flex over objects in the field and allows it to be taken apart for transport.
The front tires are attached to a heavy pipe pull-bar with chains. The pull-bar is attached to a tractor or ATV with a hitch pin.
This design has been very effective for scarifying sod for improved forage establishment when planting into established pastures.
It also works very well for roughing up short sod for overseeding, smoothing and firming a disked field, and for spreading out manure and hay feeding areas. FG
—Excerpt from 2013 AFGC Annual Meeting
John Jennings
Professor, Extension Forages
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Kenny Simon
Animal Science Program Associate
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
