Anybody use WW B. Dahl???

[Ruark]

I'm not completely clear on this, either. If you plant it in the spring and cows grazed on it during the summer, would it still seed in the fall, or would the seed tops all be eaten off?

 

[Brute 23]

You plant it one time. If you over graze this stuff over time it will get thinned out. They reccomend you let it seed out especially the first years to let it get well established.

 

[Ruark]

As far as grazing and seeding out goes, you should pull the cattle and let it go to seed for at least the first year. after the seed heads mature it can be grazed. Or it can be left for stockpiled forage. The stockpiled forage should be grazed before December.
In the spring, if the grass has not already been grazed, it should be burnt or shred before spring growth.

So don't touch it at all the first year, until after it's seeded. Then graze it or shred it. How about baling it at that point?

 

[novatech]

As far as grazing and seeding out goes, you should pull the cattle and let it go to seed for at least the first year. after the seed heads mature it can be grazed. Or it can be left for stockpiled forage. The stockpiled forage should be grazed before December.
In the spring, if the grass has not already been grazed, it should be burnt or shred before spring growth.

So don't touch it at all the first year, until after it's seeded. Then graze it or shred it. How about baling it at that point?

OK, after the see drops, and leave 4" of stubble.

 

[Ruark]

What about baling it after it seeds?

OK, after the seed drops, and leave 4" of stubble.

With B. Dahl, does the previous year's grass green back up the following spring, or does it die off and the new grass next spring comes from the seed? Or both...

If the existing grass greens back up next spring, I'm thinking shredding or baling would be the best approach, because then you could more carefully control how short you cut it. Grazing would be more hit-or-miss, depending on how far down the cows nibbled it. It might be important that I would undergraze it - e.g. if it had a capacity of 10 head, I might graze 3 or 4 on it.

Sorry for the drill, but this is my first experience with pasture seeding, so I'm trying to ask all the dumb questions I can get away with.... :secret:

 

[Ruark]

One more question... how does young B. Dahl respond to drought? Suppose I seed it in April/May, and some spring rains bring it up, and then the rest of the summer it's dry as a rock like it was last year. Will it survive? I am absolutely not set up for any kind of watering or irrigation out there.

 

[novatech]

One more question... how does young B. Dahl respond to drought? Suppose I seed it in April/May, and some spring rains bring it up, and then the rest of the summer it's dry as a rock like it was last year. Will it survive? I am absolutely not set up for any kind of watering or irrigation out there.

The first year mine was planted I did not get much rain but enough that it made it. This past year from Sept. to Sept we got only 8" and it survived. According to what I have read it needs 14" yearly but It has to have some for the roots to establish.
Make sure to get a soil test. Phosphorous is important for root growth and seed germination.

 

[houstoncutter]

Does anyone know how W.W. B. Dahl might do in south central florida?

Dont think it would work, Dahl is a upland plant. It doesnt like wet feet, also its not gonna be able to compete with the bahia that is probably growing in your pastures.