# spreading bermuda seed



## Stan r (Dec 21, 2011)

First post... sorry about asking a question. So much to learn

I have a little over 28 acres west of Madisonville, TX. About 10 acres was a hay meadow. Nothing other than cutting hay, had be done for the last 20 years. 
So it was very thick with thatch and who knows what else. last year nothing was cut... because of the drought.

So I decided to start from scratch.. Did the soild test first.

The field was burned off (when the lifted the burn ban), limed (per soil test) disk in, fertilized (per soil test) minus the N then disk rolled etc. The field is ready to seed or sprig. I decided to seed. Going to use Cheyene II. I have been working with the county ag agent He sends all my questions to a forage PHD at TEXAS A&M They suggested the Cheyenne II as a great bermuda seed. High yield etc.

The pasture is just for hay No grazing The only beef allowed is on the grill...

It took alot of seat time getting it to this point










I do not have access to a seed drill so going to have to spread.

I have read that you can use dry sand or corn meal as the medium.

You can read one article that says to this and another one that says to do...

I am leaning towards using sand.

Thanks for a great source of info on this board...

Stan


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## MorganT69 (May 17, 2010)

Our FSA office rents a drill, you might want to check with them to see if they have a drill you can rent. Its cost effective


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## Stan r (Dec 21, 2011)

MorganT69 said:


> Our FSA office rents a drill, you might want to check with them to see if they have a drill you can rent. Its cost effective


They do not have one... Checking most place... and no one in the area rents them

Thanks good suggestion.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

A good drill with a small seed attachment would be nice. Since that is not an option then spreading will have to do.
I would use sand to carry the seed. If you use sand, buy it from the places that supply brick/block masons. That sand is dry and will work.
We tried to use a more convenient (playground) sand once and it did not do well. We were spreading Centipede seed on a large yard. The regular sand held moisture. We spread a tarp on a trailer, spread the sand to dry, then mixed the seed while on the tarp.
Even as we mixed the seed and sand we were saying we should have used mason's sand.









We use a Herd spreader to throw seed. We once used a regular whirl type fertilizer spreader. Later we were able to afford the Herd and it does a better job on small seed.

I have to comment on how well prepped your field looks. You have done everything by the book and it will pay off.


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## Stan r (Dec 21, 2011)

Tim/South said:


> A good drill with a small seed attachment would be nice. Since that is not an option then spreading will have to do.
> I would use sand to carry the seed. If you use sand, buy it from the places that supply brick/block masons. That sand is dry and will work.
> We tried to use a more convenient (playground) sand once and it did not do well. We were spreading Centipede seed on a large yard. The regular sand held moisture. We spread a tarp on a trailer, spread the sand to dry, then mixed the seed while on the tarp.
> Even as we mixed the seed and sand we were saying we should have used mason's sand.
> ...


Thank you..... I will use mason sand.

I have seen a few herd spreads on CL.. Might have to check agsin.

It was lots of work... at least 30 hours of seat time. We now have to go thru and get the cactus. I have spray but going to use the old fashion way for the loose pieces on the surface. first

I will post up the progess here...

Also what ratio of sand? 2 to 1 or? I have heard several numbers.


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## Stan r (Dec 21, 2011)

This sure is fun.

I was talked into seeding.... but now checking into sprigs.... So now thinking about going with Tifton. The cost is about the same as the seed...

Just need to do the rain dance once they are in the ground..


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## dubltrubl (Jul 19, 2010)

Stan r said:


> The cost is about the same as the seed...
> 
> Just need to do the rain dance once they are in the ground..


I found that to be true also. They're proud of that Cheyenne seed even if you can get it. Field prep is virtually the same, only difference was I could do the seeding myself. Sprigging cost were almost the same, but the sprigger did all the planting work. I'm happy so far but we'll see how the first cutting this year goes.
Best of luck!
Steve


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## Stan r (Dec 21, 2011)

I got a quote of $55 for Jigg I do the work.... $80 for coastal I do the work $150 they do the work. Tipton $120 acres I do the work. 
They will let me borrower the trailer. I have a young strong step son and a young strong son in law..... Step son already said yes.... going to hit up the son in law....

In order to get the sprigs in sooner I have to do the work The growner is busy planitng other fields but said he would cut me the sprigs if I planted.

The cheyenne II was $210 for 25 lbs....

The main field is just 8.5 acres... If I go tipton I will just plant that... The other small part 1.5 I was going to plant can remain a food plot for now.. Deer need to eat.

With the sprigs the guy said the field show be disk pretty heavy then rolled.

Right now I an leaning towards spriggs... He is goingto look at my field tommorrow and will call me.


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## MorganT69 (May 17, 2010)

I sprigged my Vaughn a few years back, I borrowed my bosses Bermuda King sprigger. Ill post pictures for you guys, its hard work for sure. I used 2 guys on the trailer and one on the sprigger keeping everything nice and level. I used experienced workers as I hired guys from were I work to help me. Here are the pictures for your viewing pleasure.
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/008.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/007.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/009.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/010.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/011.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/013.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/014.jpg
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/004.jpg


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## MorganT69 (May 17, 2010)

This is what the fields looked like.


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## MorganT69 (May 17, 2010)




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## Stan r (Dec 21, 2011)

They look good... getting bids for someone to sprig the whole field.... 
going with tifton 85


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## MorganT69 (May 17, 2010)

This is the first cutting the next years picture.


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## Stan r (Dec 21, 2011)

Just made the deal... going to sprigg with tifton 85 Friday... a little more than the seed but after more research today I became convinced that is the way to go. and I do not have to do the work to sprigg... it should pay dividends in future years...


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## tnwalkingred (Jun 8, 2010)

I have a 30 acre spot on one of the farms that is currently planted with Orchard grass on 15 of it and mixed grass on the other 15. Last year we disked up and drug a patch about 3 to 4 acres in the bottom that stays pretty wet and was rough to ride across in the mixed grass field. After seeing how wet it was this year I thought it might be a good spot to plant some bermuda grass as it is usually not dry enough to cut, rake, and bale until mid summer anyways therefore not making it a good canidate for a cool season grass. What do you guys think about that idea?

--Kyle


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## MorganT69 (May 17, 2010)

I think it will never live if it stays wet there all the time, especially if its wet enough for water to be standing, it would be a waste of time.



tnwalkingred said:


> I have a 30 acre spot on one of the farms that is currently planted with Orchard grass on 15 of it and mixed grass on the other 15. Last year we disked up and drug a patch about 3 to 4 acres in the bottom that stays pretty wet and was rough to ride across in the mixed grass field. After seeing how wet it was this year I thought it might be a good spot to plant some bermuda grass as it is usually not dry enough to cut, rake, and bale until mid summer anyways therefore not making it a good canidate for a cool season grass. What do you guys think about that idea?
> 
> --Kyle


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## tnwalkingred (Jun 8, 2010)

In years past the field yielded good hay consisting of fescue and serecia. However the weather always played a big part on when you could get in and cut it. Does Bermuda not do well in high moisture soil?

--Kyle


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

Stan r said:


> Just made the deal... going to sprigg with tifton 85 Friday... a little more than the seed but after more research today I became convinced that is the way to go. and I do not have to do the work to sprigg... it should pay dividends in future years...


Are your night-time temperatures right for sprigging Tifton 85. Please read the sprigging Tifton 85 guidelines in the following web site:

http://forages.tamu.edu/PDF/Tifton%2085.pdf


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## Stan r (Dec 21, 2011)

vhaby said:


> Are your night-time temperatures right for sprigging Tifton 85. Please read the sprigging Tifton 85 guidelines in the following web site:
> 
> http://forages.tamu.edu/PDF/Tifton%2085.pdf


I talked to 2 planters they have been cutting spriggs for 30 days... I did check the weather and it seems we are within that temp range.


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## MorganT69 (May 17, 2010)

Your ground temp needs to be around 70 degrees for sprigging or seeding on Bermuda


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

This year may be different temperature wise, but Tifton 85 is different from Coastal and Jiggs bermudagrasses that can be dug and sprigged when they are dormant. Tifton 85 needs to be actively growing before digging sprigs. The ideal time in our region for sprigging Tifton 85 is late May - early June when soil moisture is right.


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

*The ideal time in our region for sprigging Tifton 85 is late May - early June when soil moisture is right. *

Which may be why so few establish T-85 here. June is when things start to dry up here and our summer drought is in full swing after the first week of July.


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## RCF (Sep 14, 2009)

We do not start digging 85 until it comes out of its dormancy and has alot of green on it. Coastal and Tifton 44 we will dig and sprig when it just starts putting out some.


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

In an adequate rainfall year and with harvesting on about a 28-day schedule, the growth pattern of Tifton 85 shows the first two harvests are lower yielding than the 3rd and 4th harvests, indicating that its growth is slower in spring. This is a different pattern than most other hybrid bermudagrasses. Tifton 85 yields its best in June, July, and August when it receives sufficient rainfall, and it is the last hybrid bermudagrass go dormant in a prolonged drought.


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## Stan r (Dec 21, 2011)

In the central TEXAS area ( my land is just west of Madisonville) many grass grower are totally booked on sprigging. They are even sprigging at night..... coastal, jigg, an tifton.


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## RCF (Sep 14, 2009)

We started around the March 1st which is our traditional start date for Coastal and Tifton 44. I don't actually know how many acres we have to sprig this year, but looking at the list I think we should be fairly busy. I know we have some to sprig in Ponder, Tx again this year don't know if we will go into Arkansas again or not this year also have some to do around Bonham, and we got around several trailer loads to send to La Grange. This is what we sprig with Puma 210 Sprigging - YouTube


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## Stan r (Dec 21, 2011)

Well the field was planted Tuesday morning starting about 2 am and finishing about noon. It looks great.

Also blessed with 2 inches of rain over the last 36 hours... with more coming..

Interesting fact

One inch of rain falling on 1 acre of ground is equal to about 27,154 gallons and weighs about 113 tons.

So my little 8 acres hay field just got about 434,464 gallons of water that weights about 1808 tons of water....


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I want to see pictures of this field when it begins to green up.

Good job!


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## Stan r (Dec 21, 2011)

Well I got my fields spriggs with Tifon 85... it is starting to come up with lots of other plants. We will fertizer with the required N in 2-3 weeks with a herbiside added.

My question now is it okay to spot spray for the dewberries. I do not want those to get out of control.

Also what chemical would be best..

Thanks

Thanks


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

RCF please excuse my ignorance and thank you for the video, as this was my first view of sprigging... that is one nice set up. What escapes me is why the two "drills" are spaced apart so that you run back over with the tractor one of the previously planted sets on each trip? For compaction? Thank you again I love to see and learn new ways. Martin


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## eight (Feb 2, 2011)

Looks like you did it right. You'll get more hay out of the Tifton than you would seed bermuda.

When I plant seed bermuda I have it mixed in with dry fertilizer in a buggy, works very well. Then run it with a tooth harrow. In a couple weeks if the bermuda in my cow pastures (mesquite forests) doesn't start coming back I'm going to disk wherever I can, might have to disc it twice, and spread new bermuda seed. Cant sprig in my pastures, but the disc harrow will go right over 5' mesquites, stumps, and junk and the buggy doesn't care either.


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