By Dr. Bruno Pedreira
Temperatures are warming up, and our cool-season grasses are greening up. March is the time to smooth and reseed hay feeding areas and heavy traffic areas and to plan a pasture utilization strategy (fencing, water, and shade). As we fed hay during the winter, some pasture areas and heavy traffic areas will have bare soil exposed. If no action is taken, these areas can quickly become hotspots for weeds and erosion. Light work is needed to smooth out tractor tracks and level the ground to prevent this. After that, to ensure good soil-seed contact and establish a firm seedbed, running a cultipacker is recommended. This will enhance seed germination and accelerate establishment.
If timing allows, these areas can be reseeded with oats or annual ryegrass in March. The optimal seeding window for these forages is from February 20 to April 1. Also, pay close attention to seeding rates and depth. Oats should be seeded at a rate of 100 to 150 lbs per acre at a depth of 1 to 2 inches, while annual ryegrass requires 20 to 30 lbs per acre and should not be planted deeper than ½ inch.
If it’s too late for cool-season forages, summer annuals are another option for reseeding. If you’ve been following this column, you know I am a strong advocate for forage diversification, as it strengthens the resilience of our forage-based systems. One excellent option is crabgrass, particularly as we experience longer and hotter summers. In recent years, crabgrass has proven to be an essential forage in tall fescue-based livestock operations across Tennessee. Last summer, I visited farms where some producers were feeding hay during the warm months because tall fescue alone wasn’t producing much in June, July, and August. Meanwhile, others using summer annuals had grazing livestock all season long.
To establish crabgrass in hay feeding areas, follow the same ground preparation steps mentioned earlier. The recommended seeding rate is 3 to 5 lbs per acre of pure live seed. Drilling is always more efficient than broadcasting, as it ensures better soil-seed contact. If you choose to drill, you can use the lower end of the seeding rate range. However, if broadcasting, don’t cut costs on seeds as some will inevitably fail to make soil contact and won’t germinate. More information on crabgrass varieties, including yield and nutritive value, can be found at https://utbeef.tennessee.edu/forages-tennessee-variety-trials/.
Acting now will help restore damaged areas, improve forage availability, reduce erosion and weed pressure in our Tennessee pastures. Whether you opt for cool-season forages like oats and ryegrass or take advantage of summer annuals like crabgrass, investing time in pasture recovery will pay off. A well-managed pasture is not only more productive but also more resilient. Spring is here, so let’s set the stage for a great grazing season ahead!
Source : tennessee.edu