Overseeding Pasture and Grass Management

[gahorseygal]

This is our first year with horses at home and I know very little about grass management. We live in Northwest GA and it was very hot until recently. Right now we are having nice temps around mid 70’s in the day and 50 ish at night. Is it a good time to overseed our pastures?

Also, what type of grass? We did some grading a few years ago in one pasture and planted Fescue in that area. It grows well but it can be patchy. We are feeding orchard grass hay that they love and I wonder if we can overseed with orchard grass?

Besides the Fescue we intentionally grew, I’m not sure what kind of grass we have. Before the horses we have let it grow long in the fall and overseed its self. It has been nice and thick after 2 years of doing this. I did have our pasture tested and can provide the results if that would help.

Thanks in advance!

[Guilherme]

First, talk to you local County Agent. They will do a site visit if you ask them and they will give you a very specific plan for pasture management, including upgrading.

We are past the window for fall seeding right now (although maybe it’s still possible as we’ve been in a drought for the last couple of months). You might be just enough south of the TN Valley for you to still have a widow of opportunity. The CA can answer that question.

G.

[DMK]

I just put down 200lbs of fescue yesterday (in N.GA), normally that would be late…ish, but (climate) times are changing, and there was no point in putting it down during the recent drought, but normally I would have done it about 30 days ago.

I battle a mix of fescue and Bermuda, and I have a love hate relationship with the Bermuda, but mostly hate. To compensate for Bermuda dormancy, in about 2 weeks I’ll seed with annual rye over the fescue. It seems to protect the fescue a bit longer, especially in the Bermuda heavy areas.

Of course, as soon as we get an entire freaking summer of 90+ degree weather and extreme drought, safe to say the Bermuda is back in force. Sigh… I may need to accept that Georgia is the new Florida…

[fourfillies]

I’d say go for it but ASAP. Based on your soil test consider including a warm weather tolerant festolium hybrid as an alternative to fescue with an annual rye as a cover. I had a month of drought and heat after putting down my fall seed here in PA at the ideal time for me of late August. Nothing happened. Finally have had rain over the last 2 weeks and it’s doing well. Essentially worked out that I overseeded a month late.

As as an aside, unfortunately, my local Ag agents have been less than helpful. Their general feedback is “that could work”. My co-op was a far better resource.

[Guilherme]

@DMK

I just put down 200lbs of fescue yesterday (in N.GA), normally that would be late…ish, but (climate) times are changing, and there was no point in putting it down during the recent drought, but normally I would have done it about 30 days ago.

I battle a mix of fescue and Bermuda, and I have a love hate relationship with the Bermuda, but mostly hate. To compensate for Bermuda dormancy, in about 2 weeks I’ll seed with annual rye over the fescue. It seems to protect the fescue a bit longer, especially in the Bermuda heavy areas.

Of course, as soon as we get an entire freaking summer of 90+ degree weather and extreme drought, safe to say the Bermuda is back in force. Sigh… I may need to accept that Georgia is the new Florida…

Be REAL careful, here. To suggest that Gators are preferable to Bulldogs can get you into trouble with the locals!!!

G.

[DMK]

They already know me as a former (and potentially future) Hogtown* resident. My loyalties are on display at this time of year!

*Hogtown = Gainesville

[Horseman15]

A good pasture mix will include Orchard, Rye, Timothy and White Clover. The rest of the mix depends on your region from what I’ve read. I put down a 10% Alfalfa mix in with all of my pastures (I have Thoroughbreds). If you do over-seed I’d suggest you do it soon or you’ll have the frost kill the roots of everything you put down. If you can rent a no-til drill and set the seed in the ground about 1/2" that will get you your best growth results as opposed to broadcast/drop seeding with rolling.