hillrancher
Well-known member
How far north will bahia grass grow and do well?
What kind of soil does it do best in?
Will it take a drought?
What kind of soil does it do best in?
Will it take a drought?
Bahia grass
- Thread starter hillrancher
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
Ya know, I'm gonna let the more learned folks answer this one.
But as for me, I'm trying to kill off the Bahia, Johnson grass and thistles in my fields, replacing with coastal, bermuda and the new TIFF grasses.
But as for me, I'm trying to kill off the Bahia, Johnson grass and thistles in my fields, replacing with coastal, bermuda and the new TIFF grasses.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
I really do not know how far north it does well. It makes good pasture and has decent yields for hay.
It is not as good as coastal for hay yields, but IMO its better pasture because it takes so little maintainence.
There are several varities of Bahia with again IMO as Paraquay as the best followed by Argentine and Pensacola. Its tough grass and invasive I figured if the good Lord made anything that tough with that much will to survive why fight it and embrace it. Have to be careful being to aggresive with grazon (use2-4-D) as it will kill the seed year after year usage will reduce the stand but it will on common bermuda as well. I like common bermuda for pastureas well. Bahia here will grow anywhere, it can take a while to get it up from seed if they are not scarfired.
You might look into Red River crab grass as I have a test plot planted, it has better yields than coastal or bahia here, reseeds and the cows love it. I am still in the learning stages on it.
Nothing is drought proof and a man has to look at cost as well.
The best grass in the world is the kind that grows best in your area with the least cost and the best yields for the least cost. Coastal is great but if you have to spend a small fortune to keep it clean and fertilized to produce as much as X grass with less fertilize and chemical cost, is where you have to decide if it is worth it.
I spent a small fortune trying to establish coastal here, total waste of money and land that was not producing.
I fell into that old fishing lure trap of fishing lures are not made to catch fish but fishermen.
It is not as good as coastal for hay yields, but IMO its better pasture because it takes so little maintainence.
There are several varities of Bahia with again IMO as Paraquay as the best followed by Argentine and Pensacola. Its tough grass and invasive I figured if the good Lord made anything that tough with that much will to survive why fight it and embrace it. Have to be careful being to aggresive with grazon (use2-4-D) as it will kill the seed year after year usage will reduce the stand but it will on common bermuda as well. I like common bermuda for pastureas well. Bahia here will grow anywhere, it can take a while to get it up from seed if they are not scarfired.
You might look into Red River crab grass as I have a test plot planted, it has better yields than coastal or bahia here, reseeds and the cows love it. I am still in the learning stages on it.
Nothing is drought proof and a man has to look at cost as well.
The best grass in the world is the kind that grows best in your area with the least cost and the best yields for the least cost. Coastal is great but if you have to spend a small fortune to keep it clean and fertilized to produce as much as X grass with less fertilize and chemical cost, is where you have to decide if it is worth it.
I spent a small fortune trying to establish coastal here, total waste of money and land that was not producing.
I fell into that old fishing lure trap of fishing lures are not made to catch fish but fishermen.
I'll throw in my 2 cents since I'm pretty big fan of bahia(being thats about all I've got.)Drought tolerance is great as long as it dosent happen the year your trying to establish it from seed.Bahia can take a variety of soils from sand to clay.I have clay that is usally fairly acidic around 5.5 to 6.I usally dont have to lime the bahia.The only thing I might do is shoot it some Nitrogen if I want to but it'll do ok without it.I'm not sure what part of Texas your town is in but bahia loves hot weather 85 and up.Just have patienance trying to establish it .You might want to plant a nurse crop with it ,mabye some brown top millet.This will give you something to come up fast to help with erosion and occational grazing.Give it some time and you'll be happy with it I think.Good luck.
Sorry,I just noticed you're in Ark. not Texas.Unless your in southern Ark. you might not have a hot enough climate for it to do great.Check seedland.com and look up bahia.They have a map that shows the regions it will grow.
TexasBred
Well-known member
Bahia is tuff. I've seen it growing in the cracks of sidewalks and the beds of pickup trucks. Contains lots of sugars and even horses love it. Go drive thru CB's pasture a little latter this year then drive thru your own. You just planted all those seeds that accumulated on your front bumper :lol2: :lol2: And it will spread pretty quickly and grows very fast when you have adequate moisture. It's taken over much of East Texas and moving West. New cattle brought into a place transplant quite a bit as well.
hillrancher
Well-known member
JJ216 visited the seed site good info.
As for extension office they are interested in water quality not farming anymore in our area.
I am going to try a few acres of it on high ground. I have a neighbor that planted love grass about 15 years ago it has done well. It is not supposed to do well here. Orchard grass has died out here in the past 4 years hot and dry. Fescue alone is not good.
Have had better luck with bermuda since we use litter instead of commercial fertilizer.
Thanks everyone for input.
As for extension office they are interested in water quality not farming anymore in our area.
I am going to try a few acres of it on high ground. I have a neighbor that planted love grass about 15 years ago it has done well. It is not supposed to do well here. Orchard grass has died out here in the past 4 years hot and dry. Fescue alone is not good.
Have had better luck with bermuda since we use litter instead of commercial fertilizer.
Thanks everyone for input.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
Bahia grass is best suited in zone A or the very lower portion of zone B. This would only include a small area in the lower portion of Arkansas. Of course there are no absolutes in nature but this is the general rule. Also prefers sandy soils. Hope this is helpful.
houstoncutter
Well-known member
I think Caustic called it a poor mans Coastal, that about covers it. I have had good luck with the Tifton 9
My fields are all Bahia. Started years ago wit Coastal and hand sprigged many a field with it. Over the years it went away. Probably mostly my fault for not spending the $$$ to maintain it. Like Caustic said, Bahia is much easier to maintain than Coastal.
I had some hogs plow a field or two up for me and I drug it, rolled it after putting out 50 pound bags at $150/bag
It sure grew nicely though and was ready for cutting with the rest. I prefer Pensacola over Argentine Bahia. Argentine is what we call lawn grass down here. It is good for grazing but doesn't really get long enough to make good hay IMHO. Pensacola should work in your area better than Argentine if memory serves me right. I think mid-Ga is about as far north as they recommend for Argentine.
I had some hogs plow a field or two up for me and I drug it, rolled it after putting out 50 pound bags at $150/bag
It sure grew nicely though and was ready for cutting with the rest. I prefer Pensacola over Argentine Bahia. Argentine is what we call lawn grass down here. It is good for grazing but doesn't really get long enough to make good hay IMHO. Pensacola should work in your area better than Argentine if memory serves me right. I think mid-Ga is about as far north as they recommend for Argentine.Bahia works pretty god for grazing because it takes little maintenance.
But for hay it sucks. I've never gotten a good analysis on it.
The problem is it doesn't turn out much hay if cut when it should be, and when you wait till the production is high, it's tough and high in ADF.
But for hay it sucks. I've never gotten a good analysis on it.
The problem is it doesn't turn out much hay if cut when it should be, and when you wait till the production is high, it's tough and high in ADF.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
Bahia is a good grazing grass. Tift 9 especially, as it will extend your grazing season at least a month. Thing with bahia is that it is steady consistant growth compared to bermudas that pile it on during a short season. This is also why bermudas are going to be more nutritious in hay form. Of course, if you like to dull your mower blades, bahia is king. ;-)
