Need some suggestions on planting hay.

[BryanM]

My wife went and bought 30lbs orchard grass and 15lbs timothy. this was supposed to cover 4 acres by broadcast spreading. If my calculations are correct that leaves me with 11.25lbs per acre. Is that enough? How much should be planted per acre? I was thinking at least 25lbs per acre for new growth but just dont know? Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[flusher]

My wife went and bought 30lbs orchard grass and 15lbs timothy. this was supposed to cover 4 acres by broadcast spreading. If my calculations are correct that leaves me with 11.25lbs per acre. Is that enough? How much should be planted per acre? I was thinking at least 25lbs per acre for new growth but just dont know? Anyone have any suggestions?

Don't know where you're located, but I'm in the North Sacramento Valley which has a Mediterranean climate (lotsa olive orchards around here).

The UC Extension Service recommends 12-14 lb per acre for IRRIGATED pasture if growing conditions are excellent and 20 lb per acre if seedbeg prep, seeding methods, fertilization, and weather conditions are less than ideal. We're talking about horse mix (44% orchardgrass, 28% annual rye, 28% perrenial rye) and general livestock mix (43% orchardgrass, 27% perennial rye, 11% annual rye, 16% salina clover, 3% ladino). Don't know about timothy.

 

[BarryinMN]

Ask the question at your local co-op or where you bought seed. Local conditions: climate, soil conditions clay/sandy, terrain (rye grows faster than timothy for bare slopes), fertilizer & lime for PH, Roundup burn off existing vegetation? overseeding? etc.

Using a Brillion (or equiv.) seed drill may increase yield 10% over broadcast.

I broadcast timothy ~15#/ac, rye/timothy on slopes & cultipack the works.

 

[mark.r]

My Coop pretty much sticks to 25lbs/acre for new seed beds. That maybe a round figure but it seems to work for us. I broadcast mine and then harrow over it so I don't get the absolute best results you would from a drill and or a cultipacker but it worked great this year.

 

[WTA]

When I planted my Bermuda pasture I put out 15 pounds per acre and since all I had was a bunch of antique equipment I went out on the old farmall with the sack of seeds sitting by the shifter and threw it by hand.
I got lucky but that field sure looks good now. I think if you can cover it very lightly and get some water on it then it will turn out nice eventually. Mine took a year before I was able to start baling it.

Now I just went and bought a new grass drill. Since NOONE in this area has one that hires out I am looking into doing some custom planting. Somebody has to do it for small acreages and horse farms. The only one I know of other than mine is a 30 footer and obviously that guy will not even try to do fields under a hundred acres. He sure wouldn't consider doing my 25 acres. I got a 10 footer that does bermuda(tiny seeds) and fluffy seeds like the native grasses. It's much more flexible than that big JD 30 footer for small farms.

We have a new new holland 575 baler coming this week too. I sure hope I can get enough side jobs to help this stuff pay for itself.

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Not know where you are so this may apply or not.

I agree with other about the 15#/A guideline. Location and type of grass plays a big part.

I tilled my old pasture last fall and replanted. Applied 50# on about 2.75 - 3/A. I used a small broadcast spreader.

No fert applied and here is what it looks like now. In the one pic you can see how dense the growth looks. Maybe this can give you an idea on the planting rate.

 

[mark.r]

When I planted my Bermuda pasture I put out 15 pounds per acre and since all I had was a bunch of antique equipment I went out on the old farmall with the sack of seeds sitting by the shifter and threw it by hand.
I got lucky but that field sure looks good now. I think if you can cover it very lightly and get some water on it then it will turn out nice eventually. Mine took a year before I was able to start baling it.

Now I just went and bought a new grass drill. Since NOONE in this area has one that hires out I am looking into doing some custom planting. Somebody has to do it for small acreages and horse farms. The only one I know of other than mine is a 30 footer and obviously that guy will not even try to do fields under a hundred acres. He sure wouldn't consider doing my 25 acres. I got a 10 footer that does bermuda(tiny seeds) and fluffy seeds like the native grasses. It's much more flexible than that big JD 30 footer for small farms.

We have a new new holland 575 baler coming this week too. I sure hope I can get enough side jobs to help this stuff pay for itself.

What type of drill did you pick up? Pictures?

 

[HayDR]

My wife went and bought 30lbs orchard grass and 15lbs timothy. this was supposed to cover 4 acres by broadcast spreading. If my calculations are correct that leaves me with 11.25lbs per acre. Is that enough? How much should be planted per acre? I was thinking at least 25lbs per acre for new growth but just dont know? Anyone have any suggestions?

Check out this seed manual. http://ccmachinery.com/public_html/images/SeedManual.pdf