Working Ranch Magazine March/April 2025

bed that’s not adequately prepared or contains too little or too much residue. Because tiny grass seeds are planted at shallow depths, they require a level seedbed with residue that will provide protection but isn’t so heavy that it interferes with seed to-soil contact. “If grass seed doesn’t come into contact with the soil, germination will be delayed,” Fruechte says. “A wind event may displace some of the seed, and emergence may be spotty. A grass stand won’t be like a row crop, with consistent emergence throughout the drilled rows. But emergence is hin dered without seed-to-soil contact.” Before selecting seeds and plant ing, producers will want to know what crops/forage were grown on the site in the previous growing season. That information should also include the use of any fertilizers and/or herbicides to identify any carryover issues.

very tall and provides high tonnage. It is also very drought-tolerant. Little Bluestem is shorter than Big Bluestem, but similar in adaptability. It provides less forage but can thrive under heavy grazing. It is often included in a seed mix with Big Bluestem. Switchgrass is said to “grow in a rock” with many stems that produce high tonnage levels. It is a very com mon seed in a native pasture mix. Indiangrass is a secondary grass that helps with overall pasture health. This grass is versatile and a second preference for cattle, who will select Big Bluestem over Indiangrass. Additional perennial grass varieties for pastures include Meadow Brome, Forage Tall Fescue, Crested Wheatgrass, Meadow Fescue, etc. Annual forages may include sorghum varieties, millet, barley, forage oats, pea mixes, etc. The best seed mix will struggle to germinate and thrive in a seed

According to USDA studies, native grasses like switchgrass, big bluestem, Eastern gamma, and Indiangrass are heat and drought-tolerant. They’re native to the eastern United States and can be good alternatives to tall fescue and bermudagrass varieties. Knowledge of rainfall averages at a specific site helps seed experts like Fruechte determine which grass vari eties will help producers meet pro duction needs and which grasses will struggle to thrive in a specific area. Even if rainfall is heavy in a particu lar area, sandy soils that don’t retain moisture may dictate that producers use a less thirsty grass variety. In low-moisture zones, drought-hardy grass varieties will likely provide the best performance. Some common perennial grass seed varieties include: Big Bluestem is native to the Midwest landscape. This grass grows

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