Summer and Winter Grass Mix

[midTN_Brangusman]

I am in the process of having around 70 acreas cleared and Im planning on planting the first week of September a mix of Brown Top Millet and common bermuda (unhulled). Would it be too early to throw a winter annual in the seed mix for late fall/winter grazing such as oats or rye grass?

Also, what's everyone's preferred winter grazing? I have been looking at Rye, Rye grass, wheat, and oats. Thanks

 

[Hogfarmer10]

I use a mix of annual ryegrass, winter oats, and crimson clover for winter grazing plus a hay crop. If I were in your shoes, I’d look into an early maturing annual ryegrass and plant some spring oats also. I know you can plant spring oats in August and they’re usually mature by early to mid October. Not an advertisement at all, but check out southeast agriseeds’ website. It has lots of good info about annual crops.

 

[ClinchValley86]

You're planting warm seasons in September... that gonna be for next year's warm season or will there be somr growth before frost?

Just curious.

 

[Mrcopier]

I have asked that question a couple times and really never gotten a response. My winter rye seeds out and I mow it down in late spring and it comes back every year so I am assuming you can plant at anytime and it will come back, at least the rye

 

[Mark Reynolds]

You're planting warm seasons in September... that gonna be for next year's warm season or will there be somr growth before frost?

Just curious.

Planting the WSG in September crossed my mind as a question as well. I would wonder about germination at that time with concern about not becoming established enough before dormancy resulting in compromised winter survival. As for adding a winter/cool season annual to the mix at that time, I'd say that timing would be pretty darn good and I'd go a step further and say you should add it to give soil protection to the soil as well as protection/nurse crop to the warm season grass you are also seeding at that time. I would think carefully about grazing your cool season annual though as you don't want to damage the tender WSG that may be 'started' at that point but not well enough established to withstand grazing. I would consider the cool season annuals for September, graze these over winter/spring, and then seed your WSG in the spring after the last frost. But I don't know your area well either.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Planting the WSG in September crossed my mind as a question as well. I would wonder about germination at that time with concern about not becoming established enough before dormancy resulting in compromised winter survival. As for adding a winter/cool season annual to the mix at that time, I'd say that timing would be pretty darn good and I'd go a step further and say you should add it to give soil protection to the soil as well as protection/nurse crop to the warm season grass you are also seeding at that time. I would think carefully about grazing your cool season annual though as you don't want to damage the tender WSG that may be 'started' at that point but not well enough established to withstand grazing. I would consider the cool season annuals for September, graze these over winter/spring, and then seed your WSG in the spring after the last frost. But I don't know your area well either.

I know east tn, you can count on a lite frost in november. Sometimes late october.

Our issue the last 5 years has been a lack of moisture late summer and all of fall. Hopefully this year isnt a repeat.

 

[Dave]

I am curious about this idea of winter grass. You guys have something which will grow through the ice and snow?

 

[simme]

Grass growing through ice and snow? Down in the sunny south, not much ice and snow on grass. Ice is what you add to a glass with your beverage, probably sweet tea. Snow is small ice particles in a cone shaped cup with flavored colored water added for consumption when it is hot (May to November in a mild year).

 

[Dave]

Grass growing through ice and snow? Down in the sunny south, not much ice and snow on grass. Ice is what you add to a glass with your beverage, probably sweet tea. Snow is small ice particles in a cone shaped cup with flavored colored water added for consumption when it is hot (May to November in a mild year).

So what you are saying is you don't have winter. Just cooler summer weather.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

So what you are saying is you don't have winter. Just cooler summer weather.

But when they do get a small taste of winter it's a state of emergency.... ha

 

[worldsgreatestlover]

I would say the timing would be perfect. Ryegrass or oats in Bermuda makes a good pasture. I would be concerned about competition with the Bermuda come spring. That very well might not be a issue in your area if you get reliable adequate rain in the spring. We let ryegrass grow in some Bermuda fields and we kill it in some. It will definitely compete with Bermuda in early season. Especially when moisture is limited

 

[simme]

So what you are saying is you don't have winter. Just cooler summer weather.

Pretty much. When it gets down below 20 degrees, the weather people here refer to that as extreme cold or brutally cold.

But when they do get a small taste of winter it's a state of emergency.... ha

Also correct. Stores sell out of milk and bread at the first mention of snow or ice. One year, even had the national guard out to rescue people. I traveled a good bit when I worked for a living. The guys up north would make fun of our ability to drive in snow. And probably for good reason. One guy worked for a paper equipment manufacturer in Wisconsin. Ended up taking a job with a paper company in South Carolina, moved south for the good life and spent a couple years working out of our office. We had just a little snow one night. He did not show up. Said roads were too bad for him. Could not get out of his driveway. Go figure. He had been a self proclaimed expert on driving in snow.

 

[worldsgreatestlover]

All it takes to make through the occasional cold is preparation. When i put in my water lines I bit the bullet and put them 8 inches deep. Going 4 inches deeper than the norm has really paid off. I've never had a pipe freeze.

 

[Warren Allison]

Here in North Ga, most pastures are a Fescue/ Bermuda mix. With cover, too. You have your Fescue growing well enough to mow in March. May, the Bermuda comes on hard and will take over the Fescue. By end of Septembe, the Bermuda starts going dormant, but the Fescue kicks back up. If you don't overstock...or over graze...you can pretty much have year round pasture...if you lime and fertilize to specs. Most people run enough cows to where they can feed sone hay in winter, though.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Here in North Ga, most pastures are a Fescue/ Bermuda mix. With cover, too. You have your Fescue growing well enough to mow in March. May, the Bermuda comes on hard and will take over the Fescue. By end of Septembe, the Bermuda starts going dormant, but the Fescue kicks back up. If you don't overstock...or over graze...you can pretty much have year round pasture...if you lime and fertilize to specs. Most people run enough cows to where they can feed sone hay in winter, though.

We have that too. Only its crabgrass, Dallas grass, some common Bermuda, and lespedeza/clover for summer. Then fescue and orchard and clovers in cool seasons. Starting to see some smooth brome spreading in my cool season stuff. Its pretty neat.

What is grazed to ground in late may on turns to warm season stuff. Got a hillside that'll get belly button deep Dallas grass if I hit it right in late spring.

 

[1982vett]

I am in the process of having around 70 acreas cleared and Im planning on planting the first week of September a mix of Brown Top Millet and common bermuda (unhulled). Would it be too early to throw a winter annual in the seed mix for late fall/winter grazing such as oats or rye grass?

Also, what's everyone's preferred winter grazing? I have been looking at Rye, Rye grass, wheat, and oats. Thanks

Looks like first frost for Stigler OK is early November. That's about what it was for us 30 years ago. At that time we planted oats late August to mid September. Worked great for us. As for the bermuda, I think I'd wait till spring unless you don't mind it possibly not working. Even then, you probably won't know if it were successful early enough to not jeopardize a spring planting. I'd hold off with the ryegrass till the bermuda is established because of it's competitiveness in the Spring. Wheat and oats can be used as a cover crop and plowed down in preparation for bermuda.

Thinking...what are you having cleared? Soil nutrients and fertility might need to be addressed as well.

 

[Mark Reynolds]

I am curious about this idea of winter grass. You guys have something which will grow through the ice and snow?

LOL. :LOL: We are talking cool season grasses. To some degree, and the further south you get it's more applicable, we can graze almost year round south of the Ohio River. Tall fescue will actually grow underneath the snow, even in January and February, although very slowly. When you get to Georgia and South Carolina, they plant cool season annuals and will graze them all the way through spring. About midway from north to south in SC and GA, tall fescue doesn't do well to it doesnt survive perennially as the summers are too warm and droughty.

As a rule, no, we do not have lush pastures growing through snow.

 

[Dave]

LOL. :LOL: We are talking cool season grasses. To some degree, and the further south you get it's more applicable, we can graze almost year round south of the Ohio River. Tall fescue will actually grow underneath the snow, even in January and February, although very slowly. When you get to Georgia and South Carolina, they plant cool season annuals and will graze them all the way through spring. About midway from north to south in SC and GA, tall fescue doesn't do well to it doesnt survive perennially as the summers are too warm and droughty.

As a rule, no, we do not have lush pastures growing through snow.

I realize all of that. I was being a smart a$$.

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

You're planting warm seasons in September... that gonna be for next year's warm season or will there be somr growth before frost?

Just curious.

Will get some quick ground coverage with the millet for erosion and weed control, bermuda for next spring.

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

I have asked that question a couple times and really never gotten a response. My winter rye seeds out and I mow it down in late spring and it comes back every year so I am assuming you can plant at anytime and it will come back, at least the rye

Rye grass or cereal rye?