# Planting Rates



## ButchAutomatic (Jun 4, 2008)

was planting some alfalfa/orchard grass at 7#/12# and was going to plant some Timothy/orchard grass at 10#/10#. What do you plant and your rates???


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

18# alfalfa,if I add orchard 1-3#.


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## JD4755 (Apr 17, 2008)

Never planted alfalfa/grass mix but do plant oats as a companion crop, usually around 20#/20#


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## Alfalfa Farmer (Apr 16, 2008)

20# alfalfa. But this is not horse hay, it is dairy hay.


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## BCFENCE (Jul 26, 2008)

You know this may sound like alot but i sow 30# alfalfa and 7# orchard grass you only one good shot at getting a stand and i go for it the first time. It makes a good thick stand , fine stem that horse people love


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## prairie (Jun 20, 2008)

You need to match the proper grasses to your expectations, local conditions, management and intended use.

My recommendations would certainly be different for a 2 cut dryland field in the central South Dakota, versus a 4-5 cut dryland field in southeast Iowa, or a irrigated field in eastern Wyoming.

I usually recommend the following to my customers.

Alfalfa:
irrigated 15-20 lbs
good dryland 12-15 lbs
poor dryland 10-12 lbs

Alfalfa/Grass Mixtures: 
use the low end of the alfalfa rates above and add the following
1-5 lbs Orchardgrass (late maturing)
or
1-4 lbs Timothy
or 
6-12 Tall Fescue (endophyte free & late maturing)
or
6-12 lbs Brome--Meadow, Alaska, or Mountain
or
3-6 lbs Intermediate/Pubescent Wheatgrass

other grasses that merit consideration include perennial ryegrass, Italian ryegrass, reed canarygrass, meadow fescue, and carefully selected Festuloliums.

Better yet is to add a partial rate mix of 2 or more grasses to alfalfa.

Brad


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## Hayboy1 (Jul 19, 2008)

BCFENCE said:


> You know this may sound like alot but i sow 30# alfalfa and 7# orchard grass you only one good shot at getting a stand and i go for it the first time. It makes a good thick stand , fine stem that horse people love


I read that a guy in Michingan was doing the same thing but somewhere around 40lbs an acre with alfalfa. I have not tried it, but am thinking of it myself. I normally go with 12lbs Timothy/ 8 lbs Alfalfa/ 2lbs clover and some perrenial rye in there too. Makes a beautiful soft horse hay.


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## haybaler (Jun 4, 2008)

I have planted from 22 alfalfa/4 orchard – 7 alfalfa/14 orchard in the last 5-6 years. But I like the higher total pounds per acre. The next field is going to be somewhere around 25/10. They seem to be holding up better in the hot dry weather here in the Ohio desert. My opinion is how you manage it (and the weather) is what it is.


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## OhioHay (Jun 4, 2008)

This spring we planted 12# alfalfa/ 8# timothy/ 8# late maturing orchard. We also planted 10# timothy/ 10# late maturing orchard. This fall we planted 8/8/8# alfalfa/timothy/orchard. I am thinking we should be planting even heavier at times. I know seed is expensive, but what is the cost of not getting a stand?


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