# overseeding cool season legumes over coastal bermuda



## ForrestCockcroft (Jul 27, 2013)

As a newer hay farmer I have a lack of clarity about the topic of overseeding. I am currently on the fence but would like to hear some seasoned and experienced hay farmers opinions as to the pros and cons of overseeding legumes and/or small grain. I am on the coastal regions of South Carolina and have a good stand of Coastal Bermuda. It produces 5-7000 lbs/acre a year depending on how much nitrogen I put on it. I currently use chicken litter for fertilizer in the spring and supplement N as needed based on soil tests. I have been researching overseeding with a legume like crimson clover but only reliable data I can find applies to grazing and not so much to haying. I like the idea of N fixation as well as spring shading of weeds reducing competition for the Coastal Bermuda. I have not decided whether I would bale the overseeded crop for hay or use for green manure. My concern with haying the legumes is whether or not I can sell it locally as it will be a fairly unknown concept for many conservative buyers in this area. Oat hay is common but as a small grain I would obviously loose the benefit of N fixation. Would the introduction of something else to the hay field be disastrous in future nuisance problems. Any ways, I was hoping for some golden nuggets of wisdom that will help decide which direction I should proceed.

Thanks in advance


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## Troy Farmer (Jul 31, 2011)

I no-tilled crimson into a Bahia field. One of the best things I've done. I planted it solely for N and let it seed and did not take my first cutting until after it dropped its seed. So the next spring I had another stand without having to replant. I don't have any tonnage numbers but you could tell the difference in the field. I too am in SC (upstate).


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## ForrestCockcroft (Jul 27, 2013)

Thanks Troy. At what rate did you seed at? And did you just knock it down before first cutting or did you leave it. Also, how much of a reduction in N need did you have?


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

If you overseed crimson clover into Coastal bermudagrass and then make it into hay for resale, you will lose most of the benefit that you intended to receive from the clover. Why? The clover must decompose in the soil to mineralized fixed nitrogen into the forms that the grass can use. If you cut the clover for hay, only the roots and any dropped leaves remain to decompose. Making hay before the clover has set seed will eliminate reseeding for volunteer clover the following year. The greatest amount of nitrogen that is made available from clover is returned to the soil through defecation by grazing animals. In our region most of the crimson clover growth occurs somewhat earlier than regrowth initiation of the bermudagrass. In this situation, the clover can be grazed by cattle and thereby return more of the fixed nitrogen from the clover to the soil. Cattle can be removed to allow the crimson clover to set seed that will shatter when the bermudagrass and mature clover stems are cut, raked, and baled for hay.


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## Troy Farmer (Jul 31, 2011)

I planted at 10 lbs. acre. I would recommend 15. Clemson says you get about 100 lbs. acre N. Again I did not cut the clover for hay. By the time the summer grass was ready, the clover was brown and had dropped its seed. I figured with N prices what they are anything I could do to help I would. There are some draw backs to clover or any other broadleaf legume. They are broadleafs and any early season herbicide application will zap it. I have problems with thistle, so I spot spray and manually remove the pest.


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