Seeding Pasture

[HoustonBrama]

Okay, I have a couple horses and I put new fescue seed out every year to help generate my fields. I have tried several ways, and none are working to my satisfaction. Help me out. These are what I've done so far

1) Completeley disc'd the fields, spread seed. NOTHING (had a drought that year to)

2) Spread seed in late fall, (no discing) and dragged field- Nothing

3) Spread seed in late February on top of snow- OK results.

This year I'm thinking maybe a lite discing, broadcast spread seed, then follow up with my drag harrow. What do you think? I'm in Adams, TN just N of Nashville.

 

[mjw357]

Don't use fescue for horse pasture. Use timothy, orchard grass, rye, bluegrass. Use a cultipacker. Don't cover it more than 1/4".

 

[Western]

Don't use fescue for horse pasture. Use timothy, orchard grass, rye, bluegrass. Use a cultipacker. Don't cover it more than 1/4".

Good advise, most seed fails because it's to deep or to shallow, Getting the right depth is critical for best germination.

If I where you, I would contact your local Agriculture extension agent and have him come out. He's free and will have loads of correct information for your exact area.

 

[MarkV]

I agree with Western about contacting your local agent. They are going to know what works best in your area. Fescue usually does best planted in the Fall. I will say though if you can't keep the horses off of it for a year I think it will be an up hill battle.

MarkV

 

[DJ54]

Fescue can be toxic to horses, so the above mix is a better choice.

Testing your soil is almost a must.

I've had very good luck using the frost seeding method. Many university ag sites have info on this. Around here, works best the last two weeks of Feb. through the first two weeks of March. But whenever the ground goes through the honeycomb stage, during freeze and thaw cycles in late winter/early spring.

I used a broadcast seeder. When the earth is in the honeycomb stage, it will pull the seed into itself, and no need to drag, pack, or anything.

My pasture was part of a large lawn. I did nothing, but mowed it in late fall, then sowed late winter, on bare grass. My hay field, I disked in late fall, then sowed in the late winter. Both turned out great.

I kept the horse off of it until the first of June, and had alfalfa knee high.

 

[boomer1025]

Fescue can be toxic to horses, so the above mix is a better choice.

Testing your soil is almost a must.

I've had very good luck using the frost seeding method. Many university ag sites have info on this. Around here, works best the last two weeks of Feb. through the first two weeks of March. But whenever the ground goes through the honeycomb stage, during freeze and thaw cycles in late winter/early spring.

I used a broadcast seeder. When the earth is in the honeycomb stage, it will pull the seed into itself, and no need to drag, pack, or anything.

My pasture was part of a large lawn. I did nothing, but mowed it in late fall, then sowed late winter, on bare grass. My hay field, I disked in late fall, then sowed in the late winter. Both turned out great.

I kept the horse off of it until the first of June, and had alfalfa knee high.

I don't think all fescue grasses are toxic. I believe there is a pasture brand of tall fescue.

 

[Ranger Rick]

I don't think all fescue grasses are toxic. I believe there is a pasture brand of tall fescue.

Tall Fescue is a good pasture grass unless you have broodmares. From the VA Tech extension website

"It forms a dense, long-lasting sod and withstands close grazing and trampling better than other grasses, making it useful in heavily traveled areas. Its leaves are dark shiny green, coarse textured, deeply veined, and rolled as they emerge from the sheath. It tolerates acidic and poorly drained soils and is fairly drought tolerant. It has seasonal production from March to November with a decreased rate of growth during July and August. A strong attribute of tall fescue is its ability to be stockpiled for deferred grazing. After frost, fescue becomes very palatable due to significant increases in sugars and digestible carbohydrates.

Most tall fescue plants harbor an endophyte, a fungus that grows within the plant that confers hardiness to the plant but produces a toxin that causes reproductive problems in broodmares. Documented symptoms of endophyte-related reproductive problems include prolonged gestation; inadequate physical readiness of the mare for birth; dystocia; large, weak, or stillborn foals; thickened and retained placentas; and failure to produce milk. Broodmare managers can effectively avoid these problems by removing endophyte-infected fescue from the mare's diet for 60 to 90 days before foaling."
There are also endophyte free strains of tall fescue.

Thought that we should clear up this confusion before it goes too far.
Rick

 

[boomer1025]

Tall Fescue is a good pasture grass unless you have broodmares. From the VA Tech extension website

"It forms a dense, long-lasting sod and withstands close grazing and trampling better than other grasses, making it useful in heavily traveled areas. Its leaves are dark shiny green, coarse textured, deeply veined, and rolled as they emerge from the sheath. It tolerates acidic and poorly drained soils and is fairly drought tolerant. It has seasonal production from March to November with a decreased rate of growth during July and August. A strong attribute of tall fescue is its ability to be stockpiled for deferred grazing. After frost, fescue becomes very palatable due to significant increases in sugars and digestible carbohydrates.

Most tall fescue plants harbor an endophyte, a fungus that grows within the plant that confers hardiness to the plant but produces a toxin that causes reproductive problems in broodmares. Documented symptoms of endophyte-related reproductive problems include prolonged gestation; inadequate physical readiness of the mare for birth; dystocia; large, weak, or stillborn foals; thickened and retained placentas; and failure to produce milk. Broodmare managers can effectively avoid these problems by removing endophyte-infected fescue from the mare's diet for 60 to 90 days before foaling."
There are also endophyte free strains of tall fescue.

Thought that we should clear up this confusion before it goes too far.
Rick

Thanks Rick

 

[BeezFun]

I found it cheaper to hire a guy who has a seed drill and does this all the time. He must get much better prices on seed than I can, it wasn't a lot more money to have him do it than to do it myself. I also had poor experience getting it to grow, and I had the pasture seed salesman out to recommend what to plant, had the soil tested, etc. I think there's no substitute for experience when it comes to planting things.

 

[Jeff Quinn]

HoustonBrama,
I am over in Stewart County, near Dover. In every county in Tennessee, there is a USDA farm office. They will let you borrow (rent) their seed drill, and it will plant the seed correctly, cover, and pack. It costs six dollars per acre. Very inexpensive way to get the use of a $30,000 machine. It will also save on wasted seed.

Jeff Quinn
gunblast.com