# Planting brome in the spring



## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Due to the drought conditions last fall I was not able to get the smooth brome seed I ordered planted. This was going to be my first time planting/growing brome. My previous experiences of planting orchard grass in the spring have not been good.....lost the stand to a July drought. I'm just wondering how smooth brome will do when planted in the spring? The orchard grass I have planted in the spring has very few seed heads the first year.....my understanding is that it is like winter wheat and has to go through a period of cold weather to initiate heading. Will smooth brome head out when planted in the spring? How long does smooth brome take to germinate?


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

I think my spring is different then your spring. I have never planted any grasses in the fall. I had few orchard or brome head out last year when I planted in the spring. First cutting usually is the first of July here for spring planting orchard/brome. But then there usually is a weed presence so it makes first cutting happen a bit before ideally it should be cut.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Teslan said:


> I think my spring is different then your spring. I have never planted any grasses in the fall. I had few orchard or brome head out last year when I planted in the spring. First cutting usually is the first of July here for spring planting orchard/brome. But then there usually is a weed presence so it makes first cutting happen a bit before ideally it should be cut.


 Probably so. Here the ideal time to plant grasses is late September into early October so they have time to establish a root system over the winter to help survive the hot, dry spells in July and August. Both times I have planted orchard I the spring(March) it hasn't survived the summer in good condition and I was left with a thin stand. Keep in mind there is no irrigation here.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

FarmerCline said:


> Probably so. Here the ideal time to plant grasses is late September into early October so they have time to establish a root system over the winter to help survive the hot, dry spells in July and August. Both times I have planted orchard I the spring(March) it hasn't survived the summer in good condition and I was left with a thin stand. Keep in mind there is no irrigation here.


Right. Planting in Sept here would be a waste of seed. It would die. One would have to plant in late July or early August with irrigation to make it through the winter. So one is pretty much limited to growing wheat before planting to even have a chance to plant in the late summer.


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