Growing Grass Plan Colorado

[mffarmall]

I have two items that my ag department told me to help with getting the weeds out (russian thisle(turmbleweeds). Our water is high in sodium and we have blow sand 3-10" The weeds have been in control for 7 years

By House (clay in soil from basement digging) Spring
Blend in top soil and mushroom organic to 1/2" at a depth of 2"-4". Using Rebel drought blend Then water it twice a day each time, pulling the weeds by hand after the grass starts, so I can tell if it is a tumble or grass. Continue to water, cut at 3 1/2" to keep the grass going, overseed and put a weed and feed in to help the grass. Then in the fall overseed more and water with a top soil or fertilizer (no manuer because high in salt)

Land: 6 acres

Cut the weeds low through the summer and burn around fences (mostly because I love to use my torch) Then in the fall spray a dorment killer weeder, and spread in a drought reisistant dry prery blend and rake it over. Then let it grow in the spring to a height that will allow it to kill off the weeds and overseed again.

What problems will I find with this grand plan?

[Houndsman]

mffarmall,
I also am in Colorado, looking down on the Eastern Frontrange.
I'm going to assume that your water is high sodium because you are on a well.
I too, am reestablishing 3 acres (7500ft to 7800 ft) that were taken over by Russian Thistle (R.T.) and Knapweed, but I'm not working towards a "lawn" like the low-landers have. I am using a wild mix of existing Buffalo Grass, and seeding with Lilly Miller(R) ULTRARICH Hardy Mountain Grass. Composition of Grass seed is:
* 48.76% Merit Kentucky Blue
* 24.66% Boreal Creeping Red Fescue
* 24.48% Perennial Rye
Along with Landscaping to level designated areas of my land (to slow the runoff and retain seed) I'm mixing topsoil, screened fill and existing grass areas with a landscape rake. For the areas that I seeded last fall, the grasses are distinct and colorful.
However,
R.T. is the toughest of your two issues: R.T. and Diffuse and Spotted Knapweed ("tumbleweed").
Both have a significant taproot, R.T.'s being longer. Additionally, if you don't address the Knapweed earlier, before seeding, the remaining enzymes from the Knapweed will prevent growth of any other plants. It is an alien-like capability that they have.
R.T. must be hand dug. I use a D-shovel, sunk in line with the main stalk, and then pull back on the long handle to provide me an opportunity to ferret out the tap root. Then I pull/lift the tap root bringing the entire nasty affair w/ it.
For Knapweed I like: http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/handbook.html for my info. You will find this one of the sources when you google it.
If the weed is in rosette stage, I spray w/ spectracide mixed with salad oil. If the weed has bolted, I pull it, using the same shovel concept mentioned for R.T.
Finally, I stay away from using a torch , as I know you are careful with. Colorado's a tinder box right now and I border Nat'l Forest.
r/ Mark

[DocHeb]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
but I'm not working towards a "lawn" like the low-landers have. I am using a wild mix of existing Buffalo Grass, and seeding with Lilly Miller(R) ULTRARICH Hardy Mountain Grass. Composition of Grass seed is:
* 48.76% Merit Kentucky Blue
* 24.66% Boreal Creeping Red Fescue
* 24.48% Perennial Rye


[/ QUOTE ]

That "ULTRARICH" is made of the same grasses that are used in 90% of all lawn mixes. Good marketing name, however.