What do you plant?

[blackcowz]

I wanted to know what all of you out there planted as far as a forage mix, and how you plant it. I live in a fairly dry and cool area, and wheat, oats, and rye seem to grow well here. Do you know if they make good forages?? If not, do you know some drought tolerant stuff that'll stand up to hard conditions? Any advice is welcome.

 

[dun]

For your conditions, a local "native" grass would be my choice, i.e. various of the annual prairie grasses, maybe bluestem, switchgarss, indian grass, etc.

 

[blackcowz]

OK, thanks dun. Out here, water is a problem when you try to increase dry matter by planting stuff that grows taller and thicker.

 

[novatech]

OK, thanks dun. Out here, water is a problem when you try to increase dry matter by planting stuff that grows taller and thicker.

Natives can grow thicker and taller because they are accustomed to growing within your environment.

 

[dun]

OK, thanks dun. Out here, water is a problem when you try to increase dry matter by planting stuff that grows taller and thicker.

They have a very deep root system. The reason they are native grasses is because they are adpated to growing without inputs, unless you cut it for hay. The new geewhiz improved pasture grasses need more water and more fertilizer then the natives.

 

[Bluestem]

There were basically two different types of prairies, Tallgrass prairies and Shortgrass prairies. Dependent on rainfall amounts. I believe Colorado would fall into the Shortgrass type prairie. Some grasses would include the grama grass family and buffalo grass. The Tallgrass prairie types would perform very poorly in the Shortgrass prairie.

 

[blackcowz]

OK, that makes sense because we have A LOT of Bearded Grama grass out here. No, not Gama, but Grama.