What Grass For Hot Cliamte?

[Localmotion]

Hey All,

Here's a question for anyone keeping livestock in a hot climate....

As many of you know we live in Spain. We have just aquired a couple of donkeys and (along with our other livestock) I want to establish some paddocks with grazing. If I was back in the UK I'd know exactly what grass seed to use and how to care for it, but short of the fact it'll take lots of irrigation, I have no idea of what the best variety to use here?

The cliamte here is hot! Normally no rain from June to September / October, and infrequent rain during the winter months. Summer temperatures often top 100 degrees F, while winter can drop below freezing at nights.

Anyone with any suggestions of varieties and techniques for establishment in such a hot climate please let me know :thumbsup: Also tips on frequency and amount of irrigation required...

There are already some native grasses present on the land which I may be able to enhance through over seeding - although these mainly die off in summer leaving only hardy weeds! I suspect irrigation would help, but have to be aware of quantities of water used as we are in a drought area. We are also constructing a small lake (see seperate thread), so along with our 60,000 litre store tanks this will help store winter rainfall for irrigation during the summer.

Alfalfa could be a possibility, but having grown it back in the UK on our dairy farm, we found it did not hold up well to grazing - the hoves of stock caused a lot of stem damage and fields took a long time to recover. Also we feed baled alfalfa already - I'm really looking for some rough daytime grazing.

I know some people will think trying to establish agricultural grazing is probably daft in our situation - but if its is possible I want to give it a go. I will of course also be asking my Spanish friends and local farmers here, but just wanted some advice in my mother tongue first :laughing:

 

[JakeBrake]

All I know about Spain comes from when I was stationed in the Southern Atlantic coastal area for a short time when I was in the US Military almost 50 years ago. At the time I was struck by how similar this area was to Southern Mississippi USA. My uneducated guess is that any pasture grass used in Southern Mississippi USA would work in Southern coastal Spain.

Bahia grass and bermuda grass are popular permanent hot weather pasture grasses here. Alfalfa? Not so much. Not many pastures are irrigated here, but obviously hot weather grass will do much better with irrigation.

The US BLM (Bureau of Land Management) removes surplus wild donkeys and horses from BLM land in the American West. Anyone who has adequate facilities to care for the donkeys or horses can "adopt" them for a very reasonable fee. So, I am seeing (and hearing) a lot of donkeys around here. They appear to do very well in Mississippi. I'm sure their ancestors came from Spain.

 

[Transit]

How about zoysia grass?

 

[Western]

I would agree with "talking to your neighbors" They would know what would work in your soil/area.

I would say Bermuda too. I haven't seen Zoysia I don't think?? but have read it's a great grower.

 

[RobertN]

This is just a guess, but the local universities probably have an outreach program. Here in the US, it is the Ag extension, and their purpose is to help with stuff like this.

The other, is the local Ag co-op, or even the feed stores.

 

[deerefan]

This is just a guess, but the local universities probably have an outreach program. Here in the US, it is the Ag extension, and their purpose is to help with stuff like this.

The other, is the local Ag co-op, or even the feed stores.

I second Roberts advice. I have had good luck with pensacola bahia here in louisiana. It handles drought well too.

 

[orezok]

What we see mostly out here in the desert is bermuda. It grows well in temperatures up to about 110 F, but id does go dormant in the winter.

 

[Localmotion]

Great advice - thanks everyone :thumbsup:

Bermuda grass is quote common around here in parks / municipal areas, but I had heard that it goes dormant in winter... has anyone tried undersowing Bermuda with another variety better suited to the cooler months? My guess is that (like with Rye grass) the Bermuda will take over totally and kill the other varieties, but if anyone has tried it I would love to hear.

I am of course alos going to speak to our local co-op (of which we are members) but wanted some advice in English first so that I am hopefully a bit better informed before trying to discuss the subject in Espanol!