Grass for wet area?

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tom4018

tom4018

Dumb Old Farmer
Joined
Jan 2, 2004
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4,182
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Kentucky
Got about an acre that I can not get fescue to stay in as it flood some in the spring. Guess it is too wet for it. Some one said that one of the native grasses would work, any idea what might?
 
We've had good luck with Reeds Canary grass. If you are going to graze it get the cattle on it early in the spring and keep it less than a foot tall and it works well. If it gets too tall, 3-4 foot, they do not like it as well. Although we haven't had a problem some people have had eye irritation in calves from the seed heads. But if it is just a small part of a pasture they probably would not have a problem with eye irritation, because they wouldn't be confined in that area all the time.
 
If fescue won't grow on it in Kentucky, I'd say your only hope would be a summer annual like millet or sudex that could be seeded after dry weather gets here. Fescue is pretty tolerant here of wet soils and grows where nothing else will. How much sun does this area get? How and when did you try to establish the fescue?
 
We are going to seed a 10 acre bottom pasture late this summer, with Reed Canarygrass. Because parts of it is too wet in the early spring. Gama grass will work too but you can't graze it the first year, maybe the second, if it is slow to establish. One other word of caution about Gama grass that keeps popping up in my research. It is REALLY clumpy. Clumps up to 4 feet wide and bumpy enough to make driving over unpleasant. Says to plant it with a corn planter. One plant per square yard is considered an acceptable initial stand. We're opting for the Canarygrass instead.
 
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Jogeephus":1y8lnxz4 said:
MikeC":1y8lnxz4 said:
Vaseygrass. It's in every wet, low lying area I have.
Click to expand...

And cutting your arm off is a good way to stop your arm from itching. :nod:
Click to expand...

It's not too bad. My cows eat it and like it before it gets too big. Grows in clumps, but excellent for wildlife - quail especially.
 
MikeC":3h1ktejg said:
Jogeephus":3h1ktejg said:
MikeC":3h1ktejg said:
Vaseygrass. It's in every wet, low lying area I have.
Click to expand...

And cutting your arm off is a good way to stop your arm from itching. :nod:
Click to expand...

It's not too bad. My cows eat it and like it before it gets too big. Grows in clumps, but excellent for wildlife - quail especially.
Click to expand...

I have a hard time keeping it out of my hay fields. Like you say it grows in wet areas and some of my roads go through these places. Being a prolific seeder, the seed just gets on the equipment and it spreads like wildfire. Thankfully it is more cold tolerant than bermuda and is very susceptable to roundup. But all and all, I wouldn't lose any sleep if it were extinct.
 
reed canary grass would work very well. it is thought to be a native in Illinois, and does excellent in wet, low-lying areas.

ROB
 

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