Broadcasting Lespedesa

[nap]

Has anyone been successful in broadcasting Lespedesa seed over existing pasture? I am looking for a warm weather legume for nitrogen supplementation during the summer. Any information on planting, such as seeding rates and times would be greatly appreciated. I live in Southwest Arkansas and I understand that Lespedesa in frequently grown as forage in MO. Do you think it will do well here? Thanks.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Has anyone been successful in broadcasting Lespedesa seed over existing pasture? I am looking for a warm weather legume for nitrogen supplementation during the summer. Any information on planting, such as seeding rates and times would be greatly appreciated. I live in Southwest Arkansas and I understand that Lespedesa in frequently grown as forage in MO. Do you think it will do well here? Thanks.

I have overseeded it with my fertilizer and I do it after feb 1st and before march 15th and had good results
It won't supply nitrogen until the fall or winter when it goes dormant

 

[dun]

It's an annual and unless you want to have to ressed it each year you'll have to pull the cows off at the right time to allow it to go to seed. Clover is a better bet for both seeding into existing pasture and nitrogen fixing.

 

[nap]

It's an annual and unless you want to have to ressed it each year you'll have to pull the cows off at the right time to allow it to go to seed. Clover is a better bet for both seeding into existing pasture and nitrogen fixing.

What appeals to me is that it grows in the hotter weather when the clover has died back. I thought this would be a way to continue nitrogen fixation during the summer. Since I'm using a rotational grazing scheme letting it set seed shouldn't be too much of a problem. Just a grass farmer looking for new ideas. Thanks for the help.

 

[dun]

It's an annual and unless you want to have to ressed it each year you'll have to pull the cows off at the right time to allow it to go to seed. Clover is a better bet for both seeding into existing pasture and nitrogen fixing.

What appeals to me is that it grows in the hotter weather when the clover has died back. I thought this would be a way to continue nitrogen fixation during the summer. Since I'm using a rotational grazing scheme letting it set seed shouldn't be too much of a problem. Just a grass farmer looking for new ideas. Thanks for the help.

The nitrogen they fix isn;t avaliable until the plant dies and decomposes. Therefore it won;t be doing any benefit during the summer. But it will grow in soil that's so poor hardly anything else will grow.

 

[cowperson]

Here is web site www.cutting-egde-products.com that should have some information on legend lespedeza.