# Spring Seeding Orchardgrass



## GPhillips (Oct 11, 2008)

I have around 50 acres of ground that needs to be seeded back into hay this spring. One field is about 15 acres that has always been row cropped but has some pretty sizeable ditches in it, I am seeding it to keep the ditches from getting any worse. The other 35 acres has been in hay in the past but was row cropped for the last 5 or so years to help get rid of a Johnson Grass problem. All 50 acres were in soybeans last year so I couldn't get it drilled in the fall, so I'm going to have to do something this coming spring. I am wanting to grow an orchardgrass mixed hay, but I know that it will not produce great the first year and spring seedings are not the best. What I am wondering about is putting an oat nurse crop in with the orchardgrass, then if need be adding to the orchardgrass in the fall.

Is this a work able solution? When would I need to plant the oat/orchardgrass mix?


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Can you just close in the ditches? I haven’t ever planted grass in the fall. While spring planting you won’t get as much production it still can work. I’ve planted 200 acres in a orchard/brome mix the last 3 seasons and didn’t plant anything else with it. Didn’t even think of planting oats or anything. Had to spray for broadleafs the first cutting of new seeding but will not have to spray or have a weed presence going forward. I irrigate though so lack of rain or moisture isn’t an issue.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

GPhillips said:


> I have around 50 acres of ground that needs to be seeded back into hay this spring. One field is about 15 acres that has always been row cropped but has some pretty sizeable ditches in it, I am seeding it to keep the ditches from getting any worse. The other 35 acres has been in hay in the past but was row cropped for the last 5 or so years to help get rid of a Johnson Grass problem. All 50 acres were in soybeans last year so I couldn't get it drilled in the fall, so I'm going to have to do something this coming spring. I am wanting to grow an orchardgrass mixed hay, but I know that it will not produce great the first year and spring seedings are not the best. What I am wondering about is putting an oat nurse crop in with the orchardgrass, then if need be adding to the orchardgrass in the fall.
> 
> Is this a work able solution? When would I need to plant the oat/orchardgrass mix?


 when you refer to mix what else will be in the mix


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## GPhillips (Oct 11, 2008)

The mix will be with a timothy that maturity matches the orchardgrass.


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## RockyHill (Apr 24, 2013)

GPhillips said:


> The mix will be with a timothy that maturity matches the orchardgrass.


What varieties?

Spring seeding timothy has never worked for us.

Shelia


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## GPhillips (Oct 11, 2008)

I have been looking at using a mix from King's Agri-Seeds called Sale Topper. It doesn't give the actual varieties, just that it is 80% late maturing orchardgrass and 20% European/Premium Timothy.


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## RockyHill (Apr 24, 2013)

hope you'll let us know how it does

Shelia


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Here planting Timothy in the spring would be a complete waste. I have tried it and it is a complete flop.....kind of like planting wheat in June or corn in September.......it just doesn't work.


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

I only planted Saletopper once by itself in spring and that was with oats it did show Timothy heads the following year . I also mixed with alfalfa in the spring that worked pretty well. Fall seeding is the best way to go but it can be done in spring. Kings products have done well for me Timothy will last 3 to 4 years then OG takes the lead. Just remember to feed it well and it will produce.


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