seeding annual rye in coastal

[bman4523]

Well here goes. Got my 74 acres of coastal in north central Texas (Comanche county) and am wondering about the seeding rate for broadcasting annual rye grass seed on my coastal fields for grazing later this year/beginning of next year. How many pounds per acre have/would you seed if broadcasting without drilling or discing? When do you put it down? (Sept, Oct)?
When do you fertilize your coastal for the upcoming growing season? (Feb)? Can you use a pre-emergent with liq fertilizer about Feb with out harm to the young rye grass? Do you have a preferred variety of annual Rye?
Your thoughts appreciated- bman

 

[novatech]

I put out seed after the middle of September at about 20 lbs. per acre. Harrow afterward to help give the seed good ground contact. If you also fertilize after establishment then very little spring fertilizer will be needed. (This is assuming it is to be used for pasture.) Annual rye is a nutrient scavenger. It is deep rooted and will bring up nutrients previously unavailabe to the warm season grasses. (This is more beneficial to more shallow rooted grasses than deep rooted coastal.) I fertilize in May for the coastal, well in my case Tifton 85.

 

[greybeard]

I have Bahia so your planning will probably be different..
Here, it depends on the weather and soil moisture at the time. I don't like the seed sitting on the parched dry ground for weeks at a time--just too many bugs crawling around and eating it up before it germinates. Last year, I kept waiting for rain, and didn't put any out till nearly mid Oct. If it's the first time for ryegrass on a pasture, I broadcast heavy--about 40--maybe 50lbs/acre--if it got seeded the year before, I cut it back because in my climate, I get some natural reseeding the following year--I figure about 30%. (wishful thinking?)
I've had my best stands by seeding it no till at all--in a drizzeling rain.

 

[bigbull338]

Well here goes. Got my 74 acres of coastal in north central Texas (Comanche county) and am wondering about the seeding rate for broadcasting annual rye grass seed on my coastal fields for grazing later this year/beginning of next year. How many pounds per acre have/would you seed if broadcasting without drilling or discing? When do you put it down? (Sept, Oct)?
When do you fertilize your coastal for the upcoming growing season? (Feb)? Can you use a pre-emergent with liq fertilizer about Feb with out harm to the young rye grass? Do you have a preferred variety of annual Rye?
Your thoughts appreciated- bman

if your planting into costal make sure that its cut short so the seed can have ground contact.you want to plant 20 to 25lbs of seed pre ac.the best time to fert is march when you pull the cattle off.an bale mid april.

 

[BC]

If you are not going to disk, then mow the bermuda short and sew around the first of October. Plant 25 to 35 lbs per acre. Only plant as much as you will need to graze as too much ryegrass can be a problem next spring unless you are set up to make hay or baleage out of it. If you need grazing during the winter, then you will need to prepare a seedbed other wise you can just broadcast on the ground and expct grazing at the end of February. Fertilization depends on grazing needs.

 

[Kingfisher]

Well here goes. Got my 74 acres of coastal in north central Texas (Comanche county) and am wondering about the seeding rate for broadcasting annual rye grass seed on my coastal fields for grazing later this year/beginning of next year. How many pounds per acre have/would you seed if broadcasting without drilling or discing? When do you put it down? (Sept, Oct)?
When do you fertilize your coastal for the upcoming growing season? (Feb)? Can you use a pre-emergent with liq fertilizer about Feb with out harm to the young rye grass? Do you have a preferred variety of annual Rye?
Your thoughts appreciated- bman

I planted some the other day........... wish i had planted more maybe.......we got 3 inches last night. DId you get any rain? Are you talking about rye grass or rye grain?

 

[east_tex]

I will wait until after the middle of September, then lightly disk the coastal and rake it with a landscape rake, then broadcast seed at 25 pounds per acre, then roll the seed for good ground contact. Also, I plan on waiting for a good forecast for rain before seeding. If it rains on the seed it will germinate in 5-7 days which is better than leaving the seed out for the birds to eat. If you dont get good ground contact your wasting your time and money cause the seed isnt going to do anything. If you plant too early the grass may come up and die due to hot weather. The most important thing to a successful stand of rye grass is ensuring good seed to soil contact and if you broadcast into thick sod you may not get it.

 

[James T]

20- 25 lbs per acre
Don't cut the Coastal too short as you need a little leaf mass to see it into next year.
Just broadcast it before a forecasted rain
November - December is good

I baled 80 bales off 20 acres last year. I let some of it seed out so it will come back late this year.

 

[bman4523]

Well here goes. Got my 74 acres of coastal in north central Texas (Comanche county) and am wondering about the seeding rate for broadcasting annual rye grass seed on my coastal fields for grazing later this year/beginning of next year. How many pounds per acre have/would you seed if broadcasting without drilling or discing? When do you put it down? (Sept, Oct)?
When do you fertilize your coastal for the upcoming growing season? (Feb)? Can you use a pre-emergent with liq fertilizer about Feb with out harm to the young rye grass? Do you have a preferred variety of annual Rye?
Your thoughts appreciated- bman

I planted some the other day........... wish i had planted more maybe.......we got 3 inches last night. DId you get any rain? Are you talking about rye grass or rye grain?

rye grass

 

[Kingfisher]

I will wait until after the middle of September, then lightly disk the coastal and rake it with a landscape rake, then broadcast seed at 25 pounds per acre, then roll the seed for good ground contact. Also, I plan on waiting for a good forecast for rain before seeding. If it rains on the seed it will germinate in 5-7 days which is better than leaving the seed out for the birds to eat. If you dont get good ground contact your wasting your time and money cause the seed isnt going to do anything. If you plant too early the grass may come up and die due to hot weather. The most important thing to a successful stand of rye grass is ensuring good seed to soil contact and if you broadcast into thick sod you may not get it.

What do you call " good ground contanct?" Thanks in advance and thanks for your post.

 

[bman4523]

For perspective here is a pic of my ground. Some areas are dry (drought dormancy?) while other lower lying areas are green. The pasture was cut and baled a while back but hasnt recieved enough rain to take off again. Do you suppose that the rye will sprout and take root in that thin dusting of dry, decaying plant material once it gets some rain?
http://ranchers.net/photopost/data/500/medium/IMG540.jpg

 

[hurleyjd]

Here is something that I did several years ago. I installed an electric broadcast seeder on the front of the rake tractor and broadcast in front of the rake.Cut the size of the bales to four feet and tied with sisal string. Left in the pasture for the cows. Did not have to crank the tractor until February to start feeding as the cows self fed on the hay and rye grass for most of the winter, not any more waste than conventional feeding.