# New orchard grass field



## tnwalkingred (Jun 8, 2010)

I have a ten acre field that has been leased to a diary farmer for the past few years for a corn crop, that I am now going to plant in orchard grass. I live in middle TN and I have already chisel plowed the ground and disced it twice. I'm going to run a heavy drag over it this evening to try and bust a few clots up and level it a bit more. My plan is to broadcast in the next few days, right before a rain (if we ever get one in the forecast) and then run over it one more time with a disc and a cultipactor behind the disc. Should I spread some fertilizer in with the seed as I broadcast it? I'm planning on getting a soil sample tonight. I'm also planning on using about 25 pound per acre. Is that enough seed? Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Kyle


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## Dolphin (May 21, 2010)

I'm not sure how late you can plant in your area, but your soil sample will answer the question about fertilizer.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Not sure about discing it after it's broadcast, might get the seed way to deep. One half inch is the recommended planting depth if I remember correctly. Maybe broadcast it, then set your drag very shallow, then roll it after that.

When I plant hay the small seeds box just drops it on the surface then the packer I pull behind the drill usually gets enough dirt on top of it to ensure germination.


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## BCFENCE (Jul 26, 2008)

Just put your grass seed in with the ferdlizer, Set the buggy down where you have to go over the field 3 times to get a good even coverage, Run the cultipaker over last should be fine, Do rain dance for a small shower but if you have my luck you will get 4 inches in a half hour, LOL. Good luck hope it works well.


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

Kyle, As others have said, I would not disc it after you put down your seed. If you need to level it up and break up clods then I would do the discing while pulling the cultipacker first, then seed and fertilize, then pull just the cultipacker over it by itself . That should give you a good firm seedbed and enough coverage of soil on top of your seed to make a nice stand. Mike


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Agree with the others discing it in you would get some in to deep.1/4 to 1/2" is optimum planting depth.Roll it in and maybe roll it again.

25# per acre is a great plenty.But if you have less than perfect seed bed you are better having a little extra

Pretty common HERE to mix seed with fertilizer and airflow it on.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Kyle, I typically pull the cultipacker twice. One session to break up the clods and help level. I may go over the field more than once during this session. Then I pull it over the field after seeding but just one time as you can bury the seed too deep with a cultipacker by going over too much. I have had superb results with this method. Regards, Mike


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I have been using the following steps when planting forages:

First, I run over the field with a sub-soiler to break through the hardpan and areas of compaction.

Then I fertilize and lime.

I disc 2-3 times to get a fine seed bed and to level the field.

I run a cultimulcher over it with the teeth down, again to level the field and pack. I may make a second pass with the cultimulcher with the teeth up (or maybe slightly down) to firm up the ground.

I plant using a Brillion seeder I rent from the FSA office.

My thought is that I was want to incorporate the lime and fertilizer (P and K) as much as possible to a depth of at least 6 inches. Lime and potash only move about 1/8-1/4 inch/year when top dressed, so fertilizing before working the ground up spreads it into lower levels faster, gets it working and usable faster.

Then I want a firm seed bed to prevent ruts and ditches developing while the seeds germinate. I want my ground, which is pretty hilly, and rated as Highly Erodable Land, to stay as smooth as possible for the life of the crop so that I am not tearing equipment by hitting holes and ditches.

Ralph


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## NCSteveH (Jun 30, 2009)

rjmoses said:


> I have been using the following steps when planting forages:
> 
> First, I run over the field with a sub-soiler to break through the hardpan and areas of compaction.
> 
> ...


^^^^this^^^^^^

yes it is a lot of work but you sure do get a nice stand when finished, and it is nice to not have to hang on for dear life when haulin butt with the disk mower.


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

And best of all, once you get the seed bed right, there is never a problem with coming back and no-tilling the next crop!


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## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

Yes, you gotta get the sedbed right before you plant. Do not use the disc after you plant, only run the packer with the teeth in the UP position to simply firm the ground and smoosh the seed into the ground. If a guy knew he wasn't going to get a gully washer of a rain storm the packer wouldn't be necessary. A small show will do the work for free, but when are they reliable enough to count on? 25lbs is about 2.5 times as much as I planted. You only need about 10lbs/acre. Some guys have told me that 10lbs is too much, that they only use 3 lbs..... When a guy cuts the rate that low then every seed has to be perfect. I think that 25 is overkill to the extreme, but you shouldn't go much less than like 8 or 9.

Rodney


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## tnwalkingred (Jun 8, 2010)

Well I plan on planting it tommorrow and hoping we get a easy rain in the next few days. It has been very dry for a very long time here in middle TN. I may cut back my seed rate to just 15lbs per acre. Seeing how this is my first time planting a hay crop I'm just gonna cross my fingers and pray I get a good stand. Thanks for all the help guys.

Kyle


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## tnwalkingred (Jun 8, 2010)

So I got my orchard grass planted last week and I have to say it looks pretty good on the eyes. We had at least 3 or 4 inches of a nice seed bed and I put 25lb per acre on it with a broadcast spreader. I was surprised how much lighter the seed was compared to fescue. I had to got about spreading it quite a bit different than what I had planned. I then ran over it with a culti-packer and now I'm just hoping the rain they are calling for in the next couple of days finds my field. After we get some water on it how long will it take to start seeing sprouts? Thanks again guys this is my first go round with planting a new field.

Kyle


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