Many producers are seeding farmland to perennial forages this spring.
Bob Springer, rangeland agrologist with the Grazing and Pasture Technology Program in Swift Current, Sask., has a few tips to increase their success.
“The first and one of the most important steps is to select the species and variety best suited for the intended use and soil texture,” Springer said.
“I recommend checking with the local agrologist for advice on varieties well suited to the area.
“For example, although AC Grazeland alfalfa is being promoted as low-bloat, producers must remember it does not eliminate bloat. Also, AC Grazeland may not be as persistent as Beaver and the creeping-rooted alfalfas. For grazing in the southwest, therefore, I recommend proven creeping varieties such as Heinrichs and Rangelander.”
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He also recommended two publications: Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Saskatchewan Forage Crop Production Guide 2000 and GAPT’s Regrassing Farmlands: A Practical Guide to Selecting the Right Forage Species.
Farmers should also buy the best quality seed. Because of the variability in seed quality and purity, producers can start by asking the opinion of neighbors and friends who have bought seed from different sources.
“It’s very important to know which weed seeds are present in the seed lot,” Springer said.
“When considering certain seed lots, ask for germination, purity and weed seed identification certificates. Even Certified No. 1 seed can contain up to 50 downy brome seeds in 25 grams. That’s 50,000 seeds in a 25 kilogram bag. Another weed to avoid is scentless chamomile seed in legumes.
“In some cases, a Certified No. 2 or common No. 1 seed may be the better buy because of unwanted contaminants in the Certified No. 1 seed. Open the bag and, for example, look for inert material such as straw and sticks that might impede the flow of seed through your seeder. If there’s a problem, look for other seed.”
Research has indicated that the best seeding date for forages is early spring.
“But if, as is the case this year, it is a dry spring, it’s best to wait for moisture, until June if necessary,”Springer said. “Historically, June is the wettest month. Waiting also allows for weed control.”
Forages should be seeded on land free of perennial weed problems. Weeds such as Canada thistle, scentless chamomile, perennial sow thistle and field bindweed should be controlled before seeding, while annual weeds should be controlled with a pre-seeding burn-off. If necessary, remaining weeds should be controlled with post-emergent herbicides or by baling them in early July.
“The most common cause of unsuccessful forage crop establishment is seeding too deep,” Springer said.
“It’s better to have some seed on the soil surface than seeding too deep. Surface seed will be incorporated by the packing operation or by rainfall. The seed should be no more than one-half inch into firm soil, so it’s best to use a seeding implement that allows accurate control of seeding depth.”
Packing after seeding is critical to ensure rapid, uniform germination. On-row packing is preferred, since it will not encourage weed seed germination between the rows. Packing the entire seed bed with coil packers or land rollers will usually result in more weeds, but is better than not packing at all.
“Many producers also use companion crops to provide some competition for the weeds and to have some feed production in the establishment year,” Springer said.
“But, in drier years like this, I am recommending no companion crops if seeding into stubble. Unless the moisture situation changes drastically over the next two months, the risk of forage-establishment failure due to a companion crop is very high.”
