COOL SEASON GRASSES ORCHARDGRASS
BROMEGRASS
A bunch-type, tall-growing, cool-season perennial grass. One of the most productive and commonly used cool-season grasses, tolerant of shade, fairly drought resistant, and with good winter hardiness. Regrows quickly and is a common component in pasture and hay mixtures. Best Use: Suitable for hay or pasture. Begin grazing at 6-10”; stop when grazed down to 3-4”. Adaptation: Better adapted to well-drained soils; especially well adapted to mixes with legumes such as alfalfa or red clover. Management: Generally persists longer than most cool-season grasses in frequently cut, properly managed alfalfa mixtures. Close grazing in the fall is consistently associated with winter-kill so leave 3-4” residual. High palatability in all classes of livestock makes it susceptible to over-grazing. Minimum required regrowth period of no less than 28 days when rotational grazing. Planting Date: March-May, August 15-31 Seeding: 8-12 lbs/a alone or 3-5 lbs/a in a mix Suggestions: For mixes with alfalfa, carefully select both varieties: alfalfa variety should be a quick recovery type (high FD) to compete with fast-growing orchardgrass. Select later-maturing orchardgrass varieties (HLR, Elise, Luxor, or Echelon) for planting with alfalfa mixes.
Leafy, deep-rooted, sod-forming (most species), very persistent perennial grasses. Forage quality compares with other coolseason grasses. Matures later in the spring than orchardgrass and makes less summer growth but is much more winter hardy. Best Use: Suitable for hay or long-term pasture. Adaptation: Grows best on well-drained siltloam or clay-loam soils. Management: Slow to establish; rarely provides a productive crop until second year. Begin grazing at 8-10”. Stop when grazed down to 4”. Optimal re-growth period of 28-35 days between grazing. Low tolerance to 3- and 4-cut hay systems. Survives, but goes dormant during drought and extreme temps. In a pure stand, requires early spring and late summer applications of N to maintain high yields. Planting Date: March-May, August 1-31 Seeding: 15 lbs/a alone or 2-5 lbs/a w/ alfalfa. Suggestions: Seed meadow brome or Alaska brome for haying applications, smooth brome for long-term pastures.
ECHELON
HLR • Blend of improved, mid- to latematurity varieties • HLR = high leaf ratio, means higher digestibility and improved palatability • Less clumpy than traditional varieties • Excellent winter hardiness • Tolerant of rust and other leaf diseases Conventional
NEW
$115/25 lb bag
HUSAR
• A mid-late maturing variety with excellent yield, especially in first cut • Good rust resistance and standability • Very high yielding • Excellent palatability and digestibility • Highly persistent and winterhardy Conventional
$175/50 lb bag
• Very late maturity; broadly adapted • Excellent persistence and vigor • Superior disease resistance Organic
NEW
$270/50 lb bag
SMOOTH BROME VNS*
LIDACTA
• A medium maturity variety (similar to Latar or Pennlate) • Good disease resistance • High yielding, especially first cut Organic
• A true sod-former, very persistent • Excellent for erosion management on slopes Conventional Organic (70% germ)
$295/50 lb bag $135/25 lb bag
$245/50 lb bag
FLEET MEADOW BROME • Exceptional winter hardiness • Compared to smooth brome: more palatable, better fall and total yearly production, shorter rhizomes, less likely to become sod-bound, more basal leaves • Heads out earlier than smooth brome Conventional
$295/50 lb bag
HAKARI ALASKA BROME • Compared to smooth brome; yields more, establishes and recovers faster, dries faster • Late maturing, good fit with alfalfa • Not as persistent as smooth brome • Seed 8-15 lbs in a mix or 35 lbs alone Conventional
$295/50 lb bag
* Variety Not Stated (VNS)
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2022 FARM SEED GUIDE
