teff and orchardgrass

[sheepdr]

I an in western Nevada and have some 1acre plots that are watered weekly with sprinklers. I want to plant patomoc orchardgrass but get the feeling that I won't be able to get a cutting from it till fall. I don't know if that's true or not.
I was thinking of planting teff at the same time as the planting methods are the same and I would get a good teff crop this year for the horse people.
Am I thinking in the right direction or all wet. I have never planted either crop so its new to me.
Sheepdr

 

[sizmic]

Plant teff now, orchard grass in fall. I don't think the orchard grass would get much of a chance to establish the kind of stand that you need while trying to compete with the teff.

Sizmic

 

[sheepdr]

Thanks, I was wondering about just that. So do you think I should cut the teff a little early to give the orchard a little extra time?
Another question, if orchardgrass is planted the last of April will I get a cutting this year?
Sheepdr

 

[sizmic]

I can't speculate on those issues, I live in KY. I'm not familiar with Nevada practices. I just know teff is very vigorous especially with water available. Orchard grass needs to awhile to establish, like over winter, here. If you are selling to horse people, you may want to go all teff all the time. We sell ours to horse people and they love it, so much that Churchill Downs requests it.

Sizmic

 

[sheepdr]

Well- that's impressive. Maybe some questions? I was thinking of planting teff the 2nd wk of April, that's about as soon as I dare for the frost, and if we don't get cut before labor day I have a hard time getting it dry, that's grass anyway. I have noticed a little talk about teff taking some time to dry. Although we have no humidity here. We need to start bailing around 2 am and loose the dew by 10. So I don't think ill have much problem there.
If I plant the 2nd wk of April when do you think I would get my 1st cut and how many cuts in that time frame? Not to hold your feet to the fire but just a clue.
I really appreciate you getting back to me!
Sheepdr

 

[sizmic]

I'm real sure how to respond, we don't bale hay in the middle of the night. Here after 40-50 days of emergence, we would be checking the fields for the first seed heads. When we see some, we cut. We have cut 3 times in one year.

Sizmic

 

[sheepdr]

Thank you, now I'm thinking of coming to Your country. If we didn't bale at nite we never would get done.
Your help has been great, I'm going teff.
SHEEPDR

 

[sheepdr]

Thank you, now I'm thinking of coming to Your country. If we didn't bale at nite we never would get done.
Your help has been great, I'm going teff.
SHEEPDR

 

[orton]

sheepdr, FWIW, coated seed, work the seed bed like you would your garden, lots of sub moisture, seed on surface and roll with water filled roller. You should be able to cut every 30-35 days. Makes real nice hay. First frost takes it out. Cheers.

 

[sizmic]

Teff grass.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?f ... =3&theater

 

[Cabo]

Teff grass.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?f ... =3&theater

About what height is it when it is ready to cut? Any idea how it compares to hybrid bermuda in TDN?

 

[Jake]

How about ease of seeding? How well will broadcast work?

 

[sheepdr]

A friend of mine had a hard time broadcasting his. He used a pto broadcaster and the seed was so light and fine it didn't spread even and only about 15 ft.
I took the tubes off of my 10 ft drill and went over the places that were light. Worked great.
When we had the Morman cricket invasion here in Nevada the government used rice hules to pack the poison. That's where I got the idea to broadcast with the drill.
Then again maybe he just didn't do it right. I'm sticking with the drill.

 

[sheepdr]

To early to plant teff here anyway. Usually teff isn't planted here till June.

 

[Jake]

I've been thinking about planting some different places to it, the idea with the drill sounds like the best I've heard yet. Not sure how I would broadcast it anyway

 

[sizmic]

The photos on facebook were taken of a field we did with a drill. We left the tubes hooked up just didn't cut the blades in. However, the best fields we've done have been with a fertilizer buggy, we just cut the rate in half and ran over it twice splitting the rows. Very, very important to cultipak your field before seeding and then again after. I belive the absolute best way to sow teff is with a brillion dropper/packer. We just don't have access to a working one. Most all the seed now comes coated and what you see in your hand is 50% seed, 50% coating, that might give you an idea of just how small the seed is. Teff is very hard to work with but the rewards can be good, it saved me from selling some cows the first year we tried it, it literally was the only thing that grew that year. I actualy had some hay to sell for a premium that year and help a few neighbors in need out. One year was a complete but though, never got any rain to soak it in. Ants began carrying the seed to ther holes, there were little blue (coating is blue) streeks all over the field. It never germinated. We always had ours in the ground by June 1st.

Sizmic