Pasture seeding

[cumminspuller]

I'd like to get your opinions on something please. I've got a hillside that I had cleared at the end of last month. It will be used as a pasture for beef cows. There is only 4 acres or so on the hillside part. I know it's later than the ideal time for seeding grasses in my area. I'm in southern middle Tennessee on the Alabama line. Ideal for us is usually mid August through September. We are in a drought it seems like. Very little rain fall in the last two months. My question is would you go ahead take a chance and drill the grass seed now? Or would you drill some wheat or rye now to help with erosion and wait until next year to drill the grass seed? Thank you for your input.

Chris

 

[jm.]

Chris go ahead and mix about half bag of fescue with 4 bushels wheat and blow it on there. The wheat will come up after this rain we are going to get this week. Then the worst will be you waste the fescue but most likely you are going to get a stand. Might mix some orchard grass and clover.

 

[notjustair]

You will be surprised. That fescue will wait for a good time. I'm shocked at the stand I got in a huge spot in the pasture. I broadcast it when it was super dry and it didn't do much the next summer. This summer it was carpet thick.

 

[2x4]

I've seeded pastures several times in late fall & never had any luck at it. But that was in West Virginia hill country. Tho I doubt you'll have any luck this late even that far south.

 

[tomNE]

personally, i would use rye. much better root system to hold soil. mix it with grass seed you want seeded. rye grows later into the fall and starts earlier in the spring then anything else i know. second choice is wheat but root system isn't as good.

 

[showcrop]

A new house went in just down the road from us here in NH. They hydro-seeded the lawn two weeks ago. I thought "fat chance of that doing anything", but it is up and doing well thanks to the warm weather that we have had. It always used to be mid October was pushing it.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

On December 1 I put down grass seed. December 3 it snowed. Winter set in. Never warm enough for seeds to germinate. Next spring rains came and I had the best lawn ever.

 

[Richard G.]

Over the years, I have found that planting with a nurse crop helps fescue. Have used barley and oats.
As late as it is, wheat would probably be better.
All that being said, it is about too late to plant fescue even here in NW SC.
Richard

 

[Traditional Farmer]

Try to find some hay that was cut late and unroll the bales on the hills as you feed your cows this Winter.It'll seed and mulch at the same time as the cows stomp on the excess and manure the hills.Might want to broadcast some grass seed of your choice at some point if you don't think your hay has much seed in it.I've gotten lots of land with good stands of pasture grasses using this method.And to keep the weeds and bushes down next year get some meat goats,unlike cattle they are still very profitable.

 

[Gordon in IN]

I like Winter Wheat and Fescue, you might add a little Rye. Still depends on weather and soil conditions. Just one opinion

 

[cumminspuller]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm still on the fence about planting the grass now. I was going plant fescue and orchard grass. I've got the grass seed already and can get a little bit of wheat to mix in very easily. I'm afraid the wheat will choke out the fescue if I mix it to heavy though. At the same time if the grass doesn't come up then I don't want the hillside to wash and get back in the shape it was it either.