Best Seed Mix for New FIeld?

[wasabi]

We're about to proceed with some clearing and seeding and, as a complete novice, I would sure appreciate some braintrust advice.

The roughly three acre area to be cleared is second growth on a sandy (some clay) loam base that tends to be acidic. Small oaks, poplar, rhodys, locus and scrub. Not too many rocks on this particular site. Topography is hilly (we're in NC mountains), but tractorable sp?, facing south. 3400 ft elev.

Our basic plan is to mark the few trees and bushes we want to save and have a dozer, hoe, and truck crew come in and clear everything else, saving what material we can. They will dig a hole and burn off tops and stumps, then cover and promise to then make sure the area is relatively root and rock free.

We're then thinking in terms of disking and prepping ground including adding whatever lime etc., might be recommended, then seeding, dragging harrow, fence or such to cover seed and spreading straw.

I've talked with the local farm supply house, but still have questions as to best seed mix. We are about two to three years away from actually putting this area to use. We plan to use part of it as future pasture (first for goats and eventually for horses) and the other part as vineyards.

Current thinking is to put in some soil nourishing mix, say clover, some rye, fescue and orchard grass, wildflowers?, ...then mow it for a couple years and perhaps reseed to help it get thicker.

I've heard that some grasses are either good for or bad for horses, but I'm having trouble narrowing it down to an ideal mix for what we are doing. Do we need different mixes for each field?

Experienced perspectives, caveats and suggestions will be much appreciated!

Thx, Sabi

 

[MarkV]

I sure don't have all of the answers you need but will get the conversation going and will follow with interest. I am in the N. Georgia mountains at about 2000' and have had good luck with Orchard grass on a smaller scale. The farm co-op told me that Orchard mixes well with clover and both bloom in the May to July range. Orchard is good pasture for cattle and horses and when hayed makes hay similar to Timothy. Deer are also attracted to Orchard if you are interested in that.

One suggestion you might look into with your hills. Mix oats with whatever seed mix you decide on. Oats will come up fast and help hold the soil as well as the grass seed until it gets established. Around here fall is the better time to plant but you will be cooler at your elevation so that may not apply. I would think your county extension office would be a good source of information for you.

Let us know how it goes.

MarkV

 

[Rubintropfen]

I agree that your county extension agent will know what works in your environmental and soil conditions. I suggest you also get his advice on clearing the area in question.

Most of my land was cleared with a brush hog and chain saw, then parts were disced, raked and seeded. This worked pretty well, but I could take my time. Some of the areas cleared with a dozer (mainly near buildings) have very poor quality soil on the surface, and it shows. I imagine the result of a grubbing rake on the soil is very different from the use of a dozer blade.

My neighbor simply put a fence around 2 acres or so of brush and grasses, and turned his horses loose. A year later most of it is looking pretty good.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I've got a good bit of experience with horses. In short, you want to stay with a seed mix that is endophyte-free if you are going to consider horses grazing on it.

Endophytes are a class of fungus that has a symbiotic relationship with grass. A win-win for both. Downside is that endophyte ingestion by horses can cause some profound problems, especially with pregnant mares and foals.

Here are a few links to expand your research:

http://www.forages.css.orst.edu/Topics/Pastures/Species/Grasses/Animal_issues/Endophytes.html

http://hcs.osu.edu/hcs612/class05.htm

http://www.ampacseed.com/index.htm

http://ohioline.osu.edu/agf-fact/0008.html

http://ag.arizona.edu/turf/tips1198.html

http://www.caf.wvu.edu/~forage/fescue_endophtye/Story.htm

A lot of the large horse supply houses, State Line Tack, Dover Supply, etc etc all sell horse-friendly seed mixes.


George

 

[cowboydoc]

For a new field you are going to want a good mix of different grasses. This will allow some grasses to grow in cold weather, some in warm weather, etc. A good pasture mix for horses and cattle would include 3.5 lb. bermuda, 3.5 Brome, 2.5 rye, 2.5 endophyte free fescue grass, 2.0 birdsfoot tresfoil, 2.0 kentucky bluegrass, 1.0 red clover, and 1.0 - 3.0 alfalfa. You can add or subtract from that as you see fit. This mix works great for rotating pastures or for putting cattle and horses on it. Endophyte free fescue is important not only for horses but for pregnant cattle as well. It does no harm to animals that aren't pregnant, just ones that are pregnant. Make sure you have the ph right in the soil and I would fertilize it before you put the grass seed down. If you are going to broadcast the see make sure that you follow up with a good harrow. Your best bet to seed is a regular seeder.

 

[wasabi]

Thanks for the advice and various links. We should be ready to disk and spread seed within a couple of weeks. Right now the clearing is in progress. I was not aware of the fungus scenario....sure glad I asked for and received TBN feedback before proceeding.... Thanks!

 

[cisco]

I noted Carolina on your address. I'm in coastal SC - fastest mix we've got is appropriate-to-season rye (for quick growth and cover) mixed with the standard US interstate highway median stuff - bahia. Such will do if all you want is to quickly establish a green covering that will need little care/watering and will impede run-off of your soil during wet weather. As to horse feed, deer attraction and picturesque wild flowers, the other posts cover the topic well.

 

[wasabi]

Cisco,

We currently reside most of the year in coastal SC (Beaufort Cty), but the project I refer to is for our property in Western NC mountains. It is amazing how different the climate is there compared to here.

 

[rationalizer]

How much would it cost to seed 5 acres with a good pasture mix?

Bill

 

[cowboydoc]

Depending on the price of seed $20-30/acre.