"Where Fillmore County News Comes First"
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Wednesday, June 19th, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 8:58:04, Jun 18th 2013 - cabraden1 - I salute you Colonel Overland. Your were my c.o. at Rockville Naval Air ... [Read More]
- 7:10:46, Jun 13th 2013 - chipperlee - Seems to be a well written article, except maybe Silica Sand is used in ... [Read More]
- 12:02:15, Jun 9th 2013 - getthefacts - The problem here lies in the fact that girls were repeatedly told "if y ... [Read More]
- 10:45:32, Jun 7th 2013 - Jo mom for 6yrs - Mr. Ehler hit the nail on the head. I agree with the religious con ... [Read More]
- 2:47:58, Jun 7th 2013 - hello - Hello, it's time you wake up. There isn't a community nearby that doesn't offe ... [Read More]
- 9:06:21, Jun 6th 2013 - hello - Hello, it's time you wake up. There isn't a community nearby that doesn't offe ... [Read More]
- 2:05:29, Jun 6th 2013 - Kim Wentworth - The number one rule in a debate: 1) if the person from the opposite si ... [Read More]
- 12:42:18, Jun 4th 2013 - EW - For someone that is always spouting religious rhetoric, you try to come off as a ... [Read More]
- 11:32:18, May 31st 2013 - JO PLAYER - This is unfair to us girls. Morrie Miller is not getting canceled but J ... [Read More]
- 8:25:34, May 29th 2013 - RP - Why is Mr. Ehler involving himself with non-school activities? Is he going after ... [Read More]
33
Do you think the use of all fireworks should be legal in the state of Minnesota for all consumers?
Want to improve your pastures? Treat them like a crop.
Fri, Jan 18th, 2013
Posted in All Agriculture
Posted in All Agriculture
Comments
Grazing Specialists John Zinn, NRCS and Dean Thomas, SWCD
Were you dissatisfied with the production of some of your pastures last year, even though you were rotating them and not overgrazing? It could be that your soil is deficient in nutrients. Perhaps it is time to consider interseeding to add more species into your pasture, particularly legumes.
INTERSEEDING:
Adding more species to your pastures can make your pasture more productive. If your pastures are short of clovers or other legumes you might see a bump in production because they fix Nitrogen for the grasses. There are a number of ways to add legumes to pasture. Before interseeding ask yourself, “Are weeds a problem in this pasture?” If the answer is yes, consider controlling the weeds before doing anything else. If you use an herbicide, make sure that carryover won’t kill the legumes you want to establish.
Frost seeding uses the freezing and thawing action of the soil to incorporate seeds. Broadcasting seeds on top of the ground, typically in February or March, is the usual method, but it can be used any time the ground is thawing during the day and freezing at night. Red clover and white clover adapt best to frost seeding because they are vigorous seedlings. A typical minimum seeding rate is 6 pounds of an improved red clover and 2 pounds of an improved white clover per acre. Increase rates when grass competition is high. Don’t seed on top of large amounts of snow as the seed may wash away. Pastures that have been grazed short the previous year are the best sites because the grass competition will be reduced. Use flash grazing after seeding to suppress the grasses and allow legumes to establish. This method has the least predictable results because weather conditions influence the soil seed contact and germination. It may be the only option where the pasture is steep, rough or rocky.
No-till seeding is the most reliable way to add legumes to pasture but is limited to ground that is uniform, free from rocks, stones, and not excessively steep. It can be done first thing in the spring when the ground is dry enough for travel. To work best the drill must be adjusted to place the seeds ¼ to ½” deep and a drill with press wheels is desirable to insure good soil seed contact. Although red and white clover works best other species may be added because there is better soil to seed contact. Use rates comparable to the full seeding rate for each species.
A conventional grain drill may be used with soil preparation to maximize soil to seed contact. The soil requirements are the same as no-till seeding and some seedbed preparation with a light disk harrow or field cultivator separately or in combination will be required. Seed at the full rate for the desired legume species and either drag or cultipack after seeding.
Varieties…Use varieties that are adapted to your area, and to your intended purpose. Take advantage of some of the newer commercial releases that have been bred specifically for grazing and higher forage quality.
Were you dissatisfied with the production of some of your pastures last year, even though you were rotating them and not overgrazing? It could be that your soil is deficient in nutrients. Perhaps it is time to consider interseeding to add more species into your pasture, particularly legumes.
INTERSEEDING:
Adding more species to your pastures can make your pasture more productive. If your pastures are short of clovers or other legumes you might see a bump in production because they fix Nitrogen for the grasses. There are a number of ways to add legumes to pasture. Before interseeding ask yourself, “Are weeds a problem in this pasture?” If the answer is yes, consider controlling the weeds before doing anything else. If you use an herbicide, make sure that carryover won’t kill the legumes you want to establish.
Frost seeding uses the freezing and thawing action of the soil to incorporate seeds. Broadcasting seeds on top of the ground, typically in February or March, is the usual method, but it can be used any time the ground is thawing during the day and freezing at night. Red clover and white clover adapt best to frost seeding because they are vigorous seedlings. A typical minimum seeding rate is 6 pounds of an improved red clover and 2 pounds of an improved white clover per acre. Increase rates when grass competition is high. Don’t seed on top of large amounts of snow as the seed may wash away. Pastures that have been grazed short the previous year are the best sites because the grass competition will be reduced. Use flash grazing after seeding to suppress the grasses and allow legumes to establish. This method has the least predictable results because weather conditions influence the soil seed contact and germination. It may be the only option where the pasture is steep, rough or rocky.
No-till seeding is the most reliable way to add legumes to pasture but is limited to ground that is uniform, free from rocks, stones, and not excessively steep. It can be done first thing in the spring when the ground is dry enough for travel. To work best the drill must be adjusted to place the seeds ¼ to ½” deep and a drill with press wheels is desirable to insure good soil seed contact. Although red and white clover works best other species may be added because there is better soil to seed contact. Use rates comparable to the full seeding rate for each species.
A conventional grain drill may be used with soil preparation to maximize soil to seed contact. The soil requirements are the same as no-till seeding and some seedbed preparation with a light disk harrow or field cultivator separately or in combination will be required. Seed at the full rate for the desired legume species and either drag or cultipack after seeding.
Varieties…Use varieties that are adapted to your area, and to your intended purpose. Take advantage of some of the newer commercial releases that have been bred specifically for grazing and higher forage quality.
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