# What to Seed in a Wetter Soil



## GPhillips (Oct 11, 2008)

I have the opportunity to make hay on about 25 acres of a heavy, wetter type soil. It is near an area watershed and some of it hold water after any significant rain. Right now it it has a combination of fesuce, johnshon grass, and some clover. I would like to have something that will stand up to the wetter, heavier soil, but also make good tonnage. This will be round baled and feed to cows, so I don't have to deal with horse people's taste on these acres.

Thanks


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

If you're feeding to your own cows the first I'd do is get rid of the Johnson grass, especially if you're spreading any manure on your other ground.


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## GPhillips (Oct 11, 2008)

Yeah, we are going to do a pretty heavy spot spraying operation to get rid of the patches of Johnson grass. It hasn't spread all over the total acreage, so I am just going to work on getting rid of it. My idea is to do a spray, spray, smother type deal. Where I cut it low in the late summer, spray it twice, then plant something like Ryegrass and whatever combination that I can come up with.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

Best thing is Johnsongrass... Makes great hay if you don't let it get stemmy, and will grow practically anywhere... Cows will literally est it to death in pastures...

Later! OL JR


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

Your handle doesn't tell us your location. Johnsongrass hints that you are located more South while fescue puts you further north. Either way, if your location is in bermudagrass country, Jiggs is said to be somewhat more tolerant to wet soils than other hybrid bermudagrasses.


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## GPhillips (Oct 11, 2008)

Sorry about that, we are in the Jackson Purchase area of Western Kentucky. Our main problem with Johnson grass is that we have a hard time getting to it before it gets stemmy, especially on the first cut.

I have been kind of looking at something with some Reed Canary or maybe Bromegrass. Also is there any clover that tolerats the wetter soils. I would like to have some type of legume in it for the Nitrogen fixing properties.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

Can you grow timothy?. It likes wetter soil and after a few years where the water would pool for a short time is no longer a problem. Unless of course you get real heavy rain over a long time. But timothy and maybe a clover (alsike)would would work good in my area anyways.


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## bbos2 (Mar 20, 2015)

Reed canary handles a lot of water. Cut it timely and it makes great hay.Let it go to head and it becomes very stemmy.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Reeds canary
Grows great in wet areas


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Reed canary,cut it before it matures.Very high yielding.


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

I like reed canary as well. It persists well under the most adverse conditions. We have a 30+ year field that has actually built up a 1 foot mass of organic material that keeps it above the standing water. Just don't drive over the windrow.


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

Eastern Gramma Grass likes wet feet. It, a bunch grass, is ok for grazing but not for hay.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

Birdsfoot trefoil is a legume that doesn't mind wetter soils (and less than prime soils in general). I plant a variety called Nordic from Preferred Seeds in Buffalo, NY. I don't know if that is a industry name or name that Preferred Seed put on it, but I have been very impressed with the yield. I use it with timothy for horse hay, but cows would love it too.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

White or alskie clover do well with reed canary and can last a good few years


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

What's the fertility like now? I would think fescue would do just fine in your situation so before killing everything I'd make sure you didn't have a fertility issue affecting your yield instead of grass species affecting it.


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## shortrow (Feb 21, 2012)

If it rains again like last year, I'm going for rice or bamboo.


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## GPhillips (Oct 11, 2008)

If it was a pretty pure stand of fescue I would probably just go with it but there is a lot of weed pressure on the fescue. If I'm going to have to do some work to rid the weeds I wondered what I should seed back to get good tonnage and quality.

How would an annual rye grass work in a wetter area as a complement to reed canary, fescue, and maybe some alskie clover?


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## nathanhrnicek (Mar 6, 2013)

Have you considered alfalfa with a grass product? I have a the best branch root alfalfa on the market, and a handful of complementary products. If you want, you can email me [email protected] or call/text 219.863.6828


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## Dolphin (May 21, 2010)

Dairyland Magnum 6 wet alfalfa with Laura Meadow Fescue yielded over 2300 small squares on 12 acres this year.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Hey Dolphin....how you been....long time no see!

Regards, Mike


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## Dolphin (May 21, 2010)

Been good Mike, you? Had a busy summer, delivering concrete this year. Interesting.


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Dolphin, any deer left where you are @? Everyone I talk to Northeast of Duluth sees more wolves than deer.


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## siscofarms (Nov 23, 2010)

Little late now but a native grass such as switch grass will take the wet . I have about 40 acres of it and it does good in low laying land . produces well low inputs . NRCS will help a bumch on seeding also .


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Reed Canarygrass. Loves wetter areas. Cut early and often.


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## Trillium Farm (Dec 18, 2014)

Josh in WNY said:


> Birdsfoot trefoil is a legume that doesn't mind wetter soils (and less than prime soils in general). I plant a variety called Nordic from Preferred Seeds in Buffalo, NY. I don't know if that is a industry name or name that Preferred Seed put on it, but I have been very impressed with the yield. I use it with timothy for horse hay, but cows would love it too.


I've used birdsfoot trefoil and timothy with very high yelds. That would be my suggestion too.


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