MHC Farm Stewardship, continued...
characteristics and the type of grazing management to be applied. Many pasture plantings fail or perform poorly simply because the species cho- sen for planting is not well adapted to the site use. Soil type, drainage, moisture holding capacity, fertility, pH, and winter
hardiness all have an effect on plant species adaptation. It is important that horse owners, farm supply personnel, farm advisors and consultants refrain from selecting or recommending species based on personal experiences or industry preferences without considering soil and site characteristics. Only species such as tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass and white clover will with- stand the close grazing practices used on many small acreage horse farms, and even those species can be stressed by over grazing. To maximize chances for success in establishing a healthy pasture, it helps to conduct a thorough and complete inventory of all aspects of the intend- ed pasture and grazing program. Among the questions to be addressed in the process of selecting appropriate grass and legume species are:
1) What are the soil limitations of each field in the grazing system? Shal- low soils are droughty and they will stress plants during hot, dry weather.
2) Is drainage a limiting factor any place on the farm? Species differ in their ability to persist on poorly drained soils.
3) Are fertility and pH levels limiting factors? It is important to know not only what the fertility and pH limitations are, but also to know where they are (which fields). Soil pH and fertility are correctable limitations but keep in mind that it may take 2 to 3 years or more for surface applica- tions of lime and fertilizer to effectively change levels in the root zone.
4) Does topography restrict performing management practices? Steep slopes limit access and operation of equipment for liming, fertilizing, clipping, etc., a criterion to consider with species requiring high pH and fertility.
5) What will be the frequency of grazing and length of rest periods?
6) Is the primary intended purpose of the pasture to supply nutrition or to be an exercise lot? Answering these questions will help a great deal in selecting which
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seeds to plant. Prepackaged “shotgun” mixtures of numerous grasses and legumes usually have no advantage over simpler mixtures of one or two grasses and one or two legumes carefully selected to match specific spe- cies to your soil and site characteristics and grazing system goals. Use only certified seed of known varieties. Certified seed carries a label
certifying that it is seed of the particular variety listed on the label and that the seed meets minimum standards of quality in purity and germi- nation and has low weed seed content (usually less than 0.25%). Armed with all this information and preparation of the seedbeds, you are ready to seed.
Seeding New Stands Tilled Seedbed Seedings: Tilled seedbed seedings are sometimes referred to as conventional tillage practices, when plowing, disking, harrowing, etc. are used to prepare the seedbed. Te purposes of tillage are to loosen the soil, eliminate existing vegetation, turn under surface weed seeds, incorpo- rate lime and fertilizer into the soil, and provide a smooth surface. No-till Seedings: No-till seeding allows seeding without plowing or
disking, thus reducing soil erosion and conserving soil moisture for germi- nation and seedling growth. Herbicides such as paraquat and glyphosate enable suppression of existing vegetation without tillage. For late summer seedings, it is important that all existing vegetation be eliminated four to six weeks prior to seeding. Te use of paraquat or glyphosate and the appli- cation rate are determined by the type of vegetation present. Te applicator hired to do the spraying should be able to help you determine the rate necessary, or contact your local county Extension office. Tis application will be followed by an application of paraquat at the time of seeding for control of weeds that germinated after the first application.
When To Seed Te primary seeding times for cool-season species are late winter/
spring (late February to mid-May, depending on location) and late sum- mer (August to early to mid-September). Late winter/spring seedings are not common. Soil moisture and rain-
fall are generally good, evaporation is less, and soil moisture is retained longer during the establishment period than with late summer seedings. However, seeding too early in cold, wet soils can result in poor germina- tion, seedling loss due to fungal diseases, and weak stands. On the other hand, seeding too late in the spring may cause seedlings to fail due to
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