Grass Seeding Rate Question

[npalen]

I'm not planning on seeding any grass anytime soon but do have a question on seeding rates. The pic of the Rogers Seeder chart shows a rate for seeding fescue that goes to a maximum of 30 pounds per acre.
Most recommendations I see for fescue are five to ten pounds per thousand square feet. That would equate to roughly 200 to 400 pounds per acre.

I'm obviously missing something here and will probably feel a bit stupid when the truth is revealed. Perhaps the seeding rate shown is per meter of which there happens to be sixteen on this unit?

 

[smstonypoint]

I couldn't make out the info on the sticker, so here's a blowup.

My guess is that the seeding rates are for pastures.

Steve

 

[Turbys_1700]

Those seed rates are similar for most drills. My old Van Brunt has is a 14 row with 7" spacing between the rows. If you multiply 30 pound per acre times 7 for a 1" spacing it calculates out 210 pounds per acre. Double that for a 1/2" spacing.

 

[npalen]

I wondered about that also but didn't realize pasture seeding rates would be, say, a dozen times less than lawn seeding.

 

[npalen]

Those seed rates are similar for most drills. My old Van Brunt has is a 14 row with 7" spacing between the rows. If you multiply 30 pound per acre times 7 for a 1" spacing it calculates out 210 pounds per acre. Double that for a 1/2" spacing.

I don't think the seeding rate per acre would change with the spacing, would it?

 

[npalen]

I wondered about that also but didn't realize pasture seeding rates would be, say, a dozen times less than lawn seeding.

Edit: This in response to post #2 above. (simultaneous posting)

 

[smstonypoint]

I wondered about that also but didn't realize pasture seeding rates would be, say, a dozen times less than lawn seeding.

From How to Seed a Fescue Grass Lawn or Pasture|Step-by-Step|Fescue.com:

Steve

 

[Farmer495]

I person would go broke seeding grass seed at 400lb per acre. I think my 510 chart only goes up to 30 as well.

 

[Dadnatron]

Those seeding rates are crazy.

U of Kentucky Novel Tall fescue rate seeded alone is 18-20lb/ac and mixed is 10-12lb/ac.
https://www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage/id1471.pdf

Purdue agrees: Purdue Forage Information

Fescue.com: How to Seed a Fescue Grass Lawn or Pasture|Step-by-Step|Fescue.com

 

[npalen]

Seeding rates probably vary some by climate of a particular region.

 

[rustyshakelford]

I have to had in play sand with the seed to get these rates. Especially true with Bermuda seed that is so fine and even with the gates show it still comes out. Sand makes it mix well

Brett

 

[npalen]

I have to had in play sand with the seed to get these rates. Especially true with Bermuda seed that is so fine and even with the gates show it still comes out. Sand makes it mix well

Brett

That's a new one for me, never heard of mixing with sand. How do you go about getting a consistent mix of seed and sand?

 

[powerscol]

I have done a lot of native seeding and while the recommend rates by the seed experts are in the 10lb to 20lb live seed per acre I found doubling or more gave better coverage. You need to be going by the live seed content shown on the bag. We also hydro-seeded too and the rates were triple of the drill seeding per specification. However drill seeding always produced better results.

Now when I planted my irrigated pasture with the SCS provided seed drill, they recommend 300LB per acre (cross drilled 90 degrees). Had something to do with the initial stand of grass they were looking for. The drilled seed at the high rate did fine. Later I did a section at a much lower rate - being cheep, and I had to re drill it the next year to finally get coverage. Also the time of year you seed makes a difference depending on where you are.

 

[fishheadbob]

Those seeding rates are crazy.


I'm with you.I often think that recommendations are written by the product's manufacturer who needs to sell as much of whatever product he sells in order to send his kids to better schools, drive a nicer car, and so on. Your post referenced some university research which is always more unbiased than a commercial recommendation.

 

[sixdogs]

Your chart is an agricultural seeding chart and that is an agricultural seeder. If you look at a modern Brillion "grass" seeder intended for agricultural purposes, you'll find similar seed rates. When the same or similar terminology is applied to lawn grass seeders, writer's embellishment takes over. Fescue can mean different things and modern seed is "tall turf fescue" and way different from agricultural fescue. So is bluegrass because it's often used in blends and not straight.

The seed meters in an ag seeder are different and smaller for the lower application rate. You would likely be able to seed lawn grass with this seeder doing multiple passes and it would be OK but likely not be the kind of job you are expecting. In some older ag seeder there were two types of seed cups for both ag and lawn versions of the same thing so that's a long shot idea. There were also "speed up" gear kits that dropped more seed and that's on the assumption your seed cups are large enough but they probably aren't.

My free advice is to open the seed meters all the way and seed in multiple and different angled directions (no crossways) until you have what you want. Most tall turf fescue at 350 to 425 lb per acre while a bluegrass, fine fescues blend could be 250 to 325 lbs per acre. Don't scrimp on the seed and buy quality. Too little seed--and insufficient fertilizer--gives weeds the opening you don't want. I would use a bluegrass and fine fescues mix since that would likely meter better. Maybe an all fine fescue mix.