# how far south can you plant orchard grass?



## jdm13 (Jun 23, 2011)

i have a dumb question i keep reading on this forum about orchard grass but cant find any info on how far south we can plant it i am in central mississippi just wondering if it would grow down here or if it was like alfalfa


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

It would be difficult to grow orchard grass that far south. You probably could get it to grow until your first long hot droughty summer, then it would be lost. If you had some way to irrrigate then it would survive, but it does not grow well in temps above 85 degrees or so. It is a cool season grass(spring and fall).

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Vol said:


> It would be difficult to grow orchard grass that far south. You probably could get it to grow until your first long hot droughty summer, then it would be lost. If you had some way to irrrigate then it would survive, but it does not grow well in temps above 85 degrees or so. It is a cool season grass(spring and fall).
> 
> Regards, Mike


I can second that, with our last several hot summers with a dry spell about July or August, it all but disappears from the second cutting but come back in the later cuttings once it cools of we get some significant rain.


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## CockrellHillFarms (Aug 30, 2011)

I live just south of Kansas City. We have planted it a few times in a mix of grass seed. It never last more than a year or two. I have a few spots that have some orchard grass but not worth the time, money, or effort. As a cool season grass, brome works best around here. I would think you would have a better shot at that in the south than any other cool season grass.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Just thought I would add this one thing; if you cut your orchard grass below a 3 inch stubble height, it will not grow more than 2-3 years before you notice increased thinning and "clumping". This frequently occurs because many alfalfa growers like to keep their legumes cut back to about 2". Many SECOND cutting orchard grass growers will use a regular disc mower(not discbine or haybine) since it is mainly just grass leaves that is growing and in so doing will cut lower(about 2" stubble height). If you want to keep a QUALITY stand of orchard grass for 6-7 years, never mow less than 4" stubble height. Always mow at least 3" high and better yet 4" high.

Regards, Mike


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

in central mississippi just wondering if it would grow down here *or if it was like alfalfa *

I am curious of that statement or question. 
Alfalfa has been adapted to grow in Canada, but has always been grown in hot climates. Alfalfa will grow in the lower Rio Grand Valley, South Florida, as well as the Deserts of California and Arizona.
I can not say for Mississippi but Alabama and Georgia have alfalfa growers.

It is not so much a climate but a soil limitation. Alfalfa likes deeper soils that are more or less neutral, but do well in high pH soils. There a few people who raise alfalfa in East Texas, with reasonable care in site selection.

I have had numerous authorities insist it is impossible to grow alfalfa in the Central Texas Blacklands, Due to Cotton Root Rot, not climate. This farm has had alfalfa growing on it for at least 70 years. First to feed the mules and then for the minor dairy industry.

At first I had difficulty growing Coastal bermudagrass and making as much money as growing alfalfa. They require some different management practices, but now bermudagrass net$ more per acre than alfalfa, (on this farm).


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

I cut all of my OG around 4" height. It certainly seems to grow back a lot faster when I do this. Once it starts getting really hot, it goes dormant. I have been getting 2 cuttings in the spring and usually 2 in the fall. Man, those fall cuttings make some soft and beautiful hay.


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## dubltrubl (Jul 19, 2010)

hay wilson in TX said:


> It is not so much a climate but a soil limitation. Alfalfa likes deeper soils that are more or less neutral, but do well in high pH soils. There a few people who raise alfalfa in East Texas, with reasonable care in site selection.


Thanks for that enlightenment HayWilson. While I've looked into the possibility of trying some alfalfa down here, in all of my reading, it never clicked in my head why it does so poorly down here. I've seen a lot of papers written and they almost always address site selection, but it just didn't register with me how important that is. Now it makes sense. Much of our cropland in these parts is 12-36" deep at best, with an underlying red or grey clay. That clay makes a great water barrier which is nice for flooding a field, but also inhibits moisture from below. Looks like I'll have to continue growing just bermuda for a while.
Thanks again,
Steve


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

Yep, I'll second what Steve says. Thanks, that never occured to me either. My clay layer is between 3' and 4' and in a good year there is significant moisture at 2'. It makes the Bermuda and Bahia happy.


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