# Direct seeding vs nurse crop



## jblydorp (Dec 17, 2012)

We're planting down 114 acres of 65/35 alfalfa/timothy. Just wondering if it's better to plant a nurse crop of oats or direct seed it. We have a drill with a grass seed box. If we were to grow the oats we'd cut them as a forage crop.


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## IAhaymakr (Jun 4, 2008)

My decision to direct seed or not is based largely on weed pressure. I like to direct seed but we haul a lot of manure and with that comes weeds. A nurse crop is the best way to control weed pressure in a new stand as the weeds need to stretch to get above the oats and then are usually cut off and eliminated. Round up ready is the only way I will direct seed any more, but that won't work with your grass mix unless you come back in the fall and seed your grass. Oats or oats/peas makes really nice feed and offers excellent weed suppression for us here, and helps with erosion where that is a problem.


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## jblydorp (Dec 17, 2012)

ok makes sense, and good to know! Do you get a cut of hay the first year then?


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## IAhaymakr (Jun 4, 2008)

I expect to make three cuts the first year, including harvest of the nurse crop. Last year we had an early start and good growing conditions which resulted in a fourth cut from new seeding. Considering the lack of moisture for most of the summer, the yield was a real surprise. A nice soaker the first week of August made all the difference. I also got four cuts from direct seeded RR alfalfa last year. Most years though we only get three.


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## prairie (Jun 20, 2008)

I like to put a companion crop out with a new seeding of hay. I limit the companion crop seeding more than most want to. The goal is to get a perennial/permanent forage crop established, not a huge companion crop yield.
I usually seed one of the following as a companion crop:
25-35 lbs/acre oats-- cut at boot stage or early heading
5-8 lbs/acre Annual Ryegrass-- cut at boot stage or early heading
7-10 lbs/acre Italian Ryegrass--as the Italian ryegrass will not usually head, cut when yield is sufficient and weeds need trimming.
In my area of NE Nebraska, under dryland conditions, this would mean 2 cuttings in a normal year, with plenty of regrowth to get ready for winter. Leave stubble at the height of the new grass. Some years 3 cutting may be possible.
The light seeding of oats or ryegrass cut early , opens up the canopy, cuts off weeds, and provides a high quality hay harvest that should be light enough to dry relatively quickly.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Cover crop here also.8-10 lbs annual ryegrass.Main reason is to suppress the weeds.I cut mine for dry hay 2-3 cuttings but the ideal way would be to cut it for haylage or baleage to get it off sooner.The ryegrass also serves as a carrier for the orchard grass seed in the drill which I seed at 1-3 lbs acre.


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## jblydorp (Dec 17, 2012)

thanks guys, that's helpful


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

I normally use 3 bushel/acre oats. I try to get a full oats/straw crop harvested plus get a good fall seeding cut. If the oats start lodge I run out with the discbine and knock down those areas for hay. The Ryegrass thing really works well around here too.


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## prairie (Jun 20, 2008)

I _*LOVE*_ the 2-3 bushel/acre oats with new seedings of hay or pasture in the spring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it is almost a guarantee of additional alfalfa/grass seed sales, unless conditions are perfect.	A 25-35 lb rate of oats works almost every time, anything more almost always increases my seed sales when they need to interseed in August or the next spring. Of course they always want a replant discount, which I won't give if they seeded more than the 25-35#/acre oats. I deal with customers in the 15-20 states surrounding Nebraska on a regular basis, and things aren't much different from eastern WY, panhandle of TX, north central WI, northern AR, or here at home in NE Nebraska.


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

prairie said:


> I _*LOVE*_ the 2-3 bushel/acre oats with new seedings of hay or pasture in the spring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it is almost a guarantee of additional alfalfa/grass seed sales, unless conditions are perfect.	A 25-35 lb rate of oats works almost every time, anything more almost always increases my seed sales when they need to interseed in August or the next spring. Of course they always want a replant discount, which I won't give if they seeded more than the 25-35#/acre oats. I deal with customers in the 15-20 states surrounding Nebraska on a regular basis, and things aren't much different from eastern WY, panhandle of TX, north central WI, northern AR, or here at home in NE Nebraska.


I'll have to look you up sometime when it doesn't work for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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