Make Plans Now for Spring Seedings

Over the past few weeks I have been getting quite a few calls from growers interested in seeding some ground down this spring. Mother nature so far hasn’t cooperated very well for getting that done but it looks like the first part of May should lend us some more favorable weather to get in the fields. Forage crops are an asset to a livestock producer, and it is important to get everything right to ensure that it is a stand that will produce for years to come. When it comes to seeding there’s more to it than just picking the mix you want and getting that spread out on the field. It is important to consider a few things; how many cuttings am I looking for? Do I need a legume/grass mix? Would this site be better with a straight grass mix? We also have to consider fertility on the site as well. Many legume crops like to have a close to neutral ph so lime needs to be considered. Many alfalfa stands fail to get established due to the ph being too low for the alfalfa to establish well. In the past few years there has also been a lot of interest in forage crops such as sorghumxsudan grass or forage sorghum. These crops need the soil temperature to be 65 degrees and rising when we plant these crops to ensure that they get a fast start to suppress weeds and reach the growth potential we need. There is a lot that goes into a successful forage crop, talk to your local SFG agronomist today if you have questions or are interested in getting a plan together on your farm for this spring.