Grass Seed for Hay Pasture

[txdc]

First round of browntop millet is planted. Thanks everyone!

 

[jamiesf]

First round of browntop millet is planted. Thanks everyone!

How does your grass look after all the rain we have gotten?

 

[txdc]

The seed wasn't well enough in the ground so most of the 200lbs and the dirt got washed to the other side of the pasture. We put more seed down with a solo hand spread (50lbs), it got washed away again, I put the last 50lbs down this morning This is probably the 4th time we have put down ALOT of seed and had it get washed. I didnt want to till and lose cover and the lawn roller really didnt do a good enough job of getting the seed packed down. I'm trying to locate a drill this week.

 

[txdc]

Here is a photo of the make shift irrigation we have running, once the soil dries up. Six rachio hose timers and six orbit tripods. Thats the area where the water comes in at. We plan on continuing to plant millet till there is enough cover and irrigate where we can, form once side to the other where the water drains.

 

[bird dog]

maybe using mats is not such a bad idea after all. Rolled out or placed on each side of that little drainage area where the bare dirt is might hold everything in place long enough for the seeds to germinate.

 

[txdc]

it much larger than it looks in the photo, there are three drainage areas in total. agreed though. We may make a trip to Home Depot this weekend to get some mats. If we see some significant millet sprouting, we are headed to Justin seeds to get 300-500lbs more so the dirt will stop moving around. I had the pasture pretty well leveled a few months ago. The wife got me a drone for my birthday, as soon as it is done charging and a learn how to work it, I'm going to take some aerial photos.

 

[wbvs58]

Here is a photo of the make shift irrigation we have running, once the soil dries up. Six rachio hose timers and six orbit tripods. Thats the area where the water comes in at. We plan on continuing to plant millet till there is enough cover and irrigate where we can, form once side to the other where the water drains.

Looks like an octopus but very innovative.

Ken

 

[txdc]

Millet and some of the Bermuda we planted in April are starting to pop up!

 

[Mark Reynolds]

You are not far from us. We are just north of Josephine. We have been trying to find a drill rental, we see on youtube that people do that but just havent found one anywhere around here yet. If you happen to remember or hear of a place that will rent one we would very much be interested. We have a 47hp tractor; hopefully that would be enough to run the drill.

The NRCS offices themselves will not have a drill for rental. However, they usually know where you can rent one as seeding is a regular practice that they write contracts for. Often, the SWCD (Soil and Water Conservation District) is directly associated with the local NRCS office and they very well could have a drill you can rent for a nominal fee, and I do mean nominal.

It's already been stated. Grass seed, especially warm season grasses, which Bermuda is, is 'inconsistent' in its germination rate. You might have only got 10% germination to start with, but by this time next year, or in 2 years, you may have 80-95% germination rates, unless you have lost the seed off site due to erosion. That is where your nurse crops come into play that have also been mentioned here. I suspect it is too late at this point, but planting a warm season annual over your Bermuda as a soil stableizer to give your Bermuda more time to germinate and hold the soil until then may be worth considering. Also consider a cool season annual for this fall/winter for the same reasons.