Spring hay seeding

[preston39]

We prefer and practice fall seeding. However, we recently acquired 480 additional acres of river bottom land which has laid dormant for 3 years. Very little noxius weed cover probably because of the herbicides last used.

What would be the best seeding for hay this year?

 

[Iowa237]

I'm not sure about your area? But here, I always seed in the spring... unless I'm just throwing clover and treefoil over may established pasture... then I might do that in the fall.
Anyways, I usually sow alfalfa and timothy for my hay ground. If it's something that I'll have in pasture in 4 or 5 years, I'll use alfalfa, broom, and orchard grass. The broom will compete very hard against your alfalfa. So at the point where the alfalfa is about choked out, you'll have some good grass, and then you can get some other legumes started.
You'll want a cover crop such as oats, etc... to help control the weeds untill that alfalfa gets going. If I can... I usually only take one cutting of alfalfa/oat hay the first year and allow the alfalfa to get good growth so it can store up and build root strenght.

 

[preston39]

Iowa...,

Any particular type of oats as a nurse crop? How late in the spring have you sowed that way with good results?

 

[George Monk]

I sow all my orchardgrass in the spring. seems that I can't get into the fields early enough in the fall to get the orchardgrass a chance to start. (I used to coach fall softball at the high school and was way too busy.) I use bin run oats at about 40#/acre and use the recommended amounts of orchardgrass/alfalfa mix. Even in the drought last year I got a great stand of alfalfa and grass.

 

[Iowa237]

Iowa...,

Any particular type of oats as a nurse crop? How late in the spring have you sowed that way with good results?

No... I usually just use feed grade oats. verses any type of seed oat. I'll use up to 2.5 to 3bu. an acre, only 2bu. if I'm using a good seed grade out.
Depending on this crazy Iowa weather, but the latest I've seeded was the 21st of April. Usually or should I say ideally around the missle of March.

 

[preston39]

I sow all my orchardgrass in the spring. seems that I can't get into the fields early enough in the fall to get the orchardgrass a chance to start. (I used to coach fall softball at the high school and was way too busy.) I use bin run oats at about 40#/acre and use the recommended amounts of orchardgrass/alfalfa mix. Even in the drought last year I got a great stand of alfalfa and grass.

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George...,

We have been unable to get in the fields because of rain. What is the latest you have sowed this mix?...and was it for hay or forage?

 

[preston39]

Iowa...,

Any particular type of oats as a nurse crop? How late in the spring have you sowed that way with good results?

No... I usually just use feed grade oats. verses any type of seed oat. I'll use up to 2.5 to 3bu. an acre, only 2bu. if I'm using a good seed grade out.
Depending on this crazy Iowa weather, but the latest I've seeded was the 21st of April. Usually or should I say ideally around the missle of March.

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Iowa...,

March would be ideal..but, couldn't this year we are going to try a seeding next week if the weather allows. May be to late but, we are going to chance it with 80-100 acres.

This is the only industry in our society which is at natures whim...with no repeal...and folks question Gov. programs to assist.

 

[ChrisB]

I'm not sure how it would work in Kentucky, but I do the same thing Iowa237 does and have seeded as late as mid May and have been able to cut a crop of oat hay and had a good stand of alfalfa by fall. Usually though I seed around the first of May and take 2 cuttings the first year.

 

[mitchwi]

I'm not sure how it would work in Kentucky, but I do the same thing Iowa237 does and have seeded as late as mid May and have been able to cut a crop of oat hay and had a good stand of alfalfa by fall. Usually though I seed around the first of May and take 2 cuttings the first year.

I'm with ChrisB on this... actually put in this past weekend. Alfalfa fields this year did a bit different. 14#'s/acre alfalfa, 4#'s/acre Brome, and the cover was Oats @ 1.5bu/acre.

Only difference is I ALWAYS use certified seed oats. I figure weeds come on all by themselves, I don't want to give them a head start.

1st cutting is good Oat hay, and weather permitting, one other crop cut.

Michele

 

[western]

George,

What type of orchardgrass do you use? Has anyone tried Attention Alfalfa?

 

[George Monk]

http://cattletoday.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=5662&size=big&cat=500&ppuser=3545
having a bad posting day....sorry...
These are some pictures of some alfalfa/orchardgrass and clover/orchardgrass that we planted Easter weekend.

I am very pleased with the stands.

In the clover field I had attempted to plant the orchard grass with wheat a couple of years ago and only the terrace channels and the border of the field grew :?: :?: I interseeded this mix into the existing patches of orchardgrass and you can see the clover coming up.

The alfalfa was a Garst variety and the orchardgrass was whatever variety COOP sells

I used bin run oats at about 40lbs/acre