Following are the recommended seeding rates when seeding various cool-season forages alone or in mixtures (Table 1), and the adaptation characteristics of those forages (Table 2).
Table 1. Forage Seeding Rates When Seeded Alone or in Mixtures.
Species Seed/lb Seeding Rate
Alone lb/A Mixture lb/A
Legumes
Alfalfa 200,000 15 – 20 8 – 15
Birdsfoot trefoil 375,000 4 – 8 2 – 6
Red clover 275,000 8 – 10 2 – 6
White clover 700,000 3 – 5 1 – 2
Grasses
Smooth bromegrass 136,000 10 - 15 6 - 8
Orchardgrass 654,000 8 – 12 4 – 6
Reed canarygrass 533,000 8 – 12 4 – 6
Annual ryegrass 227,000 20 – 30 10 – 15
Perennial ryegrass 227,000 10 – 12 5 – 6
Tall fescue 230,000 12 – 14 6 – 12
Timothy 1,230,000 8 – 10 2 – 8
Table 2. Soil pH and Tolerances of Drainage, Flooding, and Drought in Legumes and Grasses.
Species Optimum Soil pH Poor drainage Flooding Drought
Legumes
Alfalfa 6.5 – 7.0 P P G
Birdsfoot trefoil 6.0 – 6.5 E P G
Red clover 5.8 – 6.5 G P G
White clover 5.8 – 6.5 E P P
Grasses
Smooth bromegrass 5.8 - 6.5 G G P
Orchardgrass 5.8 – 6.5 G P G
Reed canarygrass 5.8 – 6.5 E E E
Annual ryegrass 5.8 – 6.5 P P P
Perennial ryegrass 5.8 – 6.5 P P P
Tall fescue 5.8 – 6.5 E E E
Timothy 5.8 – 6.5 G P P
E: excellent, G: good, and P: poor
Doo-Hong Min, Southwest Area Crops and Soils Specialist
dmin@ksu.edu
John Holman, Cropping Systems Agronomist, Southwest Research-Extension Center
Jholman@ksu.edu
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