What to plant for winter erosion control

[Texas G@l]

We're in the process of clearing 25-30 acres of oaks, cedars and green briars. We'll probably be done with clearing in 3 weeks or so. In late March/ early April, we'll plant native grass. For erosion control until spring, we've used ryegrass in the past...with really great results.Any other ideas out there for winter erosion control in North Central Texas? I'm always interested in what other folks have tried and how it worked for them.

 

[wbvs58]

I would think oats would work well. If the ground is a bit rough just buy whole feed oats.

Ken

 

[Brute 23]

Oats is a good option too, like said above, because it won't last so long in to spring like rye grass.

Did you happen to confirm the planting times of the natives? Some if them have to be planted late fall or early winter. You basically put them in with your oats or rye.

 

[greybeard]

Depends.. How bad are the feral hogs there?

 

[Mrcopier]

I'd stick with the rye grass

 

[greybeard]

A little late for ryegrass IMO, but it will still work. In East Texas, we tend to get our Oct and Nov rains as T-storms ahead of the cool fronts and ryegrass seed is so light, any significant rainfall brings run off that washes the seed downhill into low places. I didn't have many slopes over in San Jacinto County, which is about 140 miles southeast of you but in order for my winter forage to provide erosion control, I had to first broadcast the seed, then run a disk over it, going perpendicular to the slopes. I had pretty good luck 2 years running with a mix of ryegrass, crimson clover, wheat and oats, but the oats and clover drew deer and feral hogs like crazy and the hogs caused more damage than the ryegrass would prevent on the slopes. Not much of the wheat came up. I just went with straight ryegrass after that. I don't remember the exact mix ratio but I got it in supersacks up at Bryan producers co-op.

 

[Texas G@l]

A little late for ryegrass IMO, but it will still work. In East Texas, we tend to get our Oct and Nov rains as T-storms ahead of the cool fronts and ryegrass seed is so light, any significant rainfall brings run off that washes the seed downhill into low places. I didn't have many slopes over in San Jacinto County, which is about 140 miles southeast of you but in order for my winter forage to provide erosion control, I had to first broadcast the seed, then run a disk over it, going perpendicular to the slopes. I had pretty good luck 2 years running with a mix of ryegrass, crimson clover, wheat and oats, but the oats and clover drew deer and feral hogs like crazy and the hogs caused more damage than the ryegrass would prevent on the slopes. Not much of the wheat came up. I just went with straight ryegrass after that. I don't remember the exact mix ratio but I got it in supersacks up at Bryan producers co-op.

Odds are we'll just stick with straight ryegrass. I've broadcast it on raw ground as late as first of February for cool season erosion control with good results.

We do have hogs around but they are very transient. They're here a day maybe two and then gone again. About the time we figure out where they are , they move on. We saw them on a game cam 3 days in a row at the same time. We went out to that blind but no pigs there....for the next month or so.
Thanks for all the ideas/opinions!