Seeding Rates, Dates and Depths for Common Missouri Forages

Craig Roberts and James Gerrish
Department of Agronomy

The first step in forage management is the proper establishment of pasture and hay fields. This in turn depends on proper seeding. If the seeding rate is too low, the stand will be thin and weedy. If it is too high, establishment costs will be prohibitive. If the seeding rate is ideal, stands can still fail by planting at improper depths or times.

This guide presents rates, depths and dates for seeding common Missouri forages. The following tables contain annuals, perennials, and biennials, as well as grasses and legumes. This information is based on research and professional experience in Missouri and, when appropriate, from surrounding states.

Using the tables

The tables report broad ranges for seeding rates and planting dates for both pure stands (Table 1) and mixtures (Table 2). These broad ranges reflect the diverse environmental and managerial practices in Missouri forage operations. The dates are based on typical conditions for central Missouri. Therefore, for northern Missouri, early fall and late spring dates are advised. For southern Missouri, the opposite adjustments are suggested. The higher rates are appropriate for average to poor soils and for broadcast seeding.

Remember that these rates and dates are only guidelines; they apply to typical pasture and hay operations, not to extreme conditions. The rates do not include "shotgun mixtures," because such mixtures are based on limited experience and data. They do, however, include rates for simple mixtures common to Missouri pastures and hayfields.

Seeding rates for the native warm-season grasses do not coincide completely with rates suggested by conservation groups. The rates suggested here for native grasses apply to pure stands rather than native ranges, average soils rather than alluvial soils, and livestock production rather than wildlife habitat and ground cover.

Table 1
Pure stands

Type		Seeding rate (pounds of live seed per acre)	Seeding date*		Depth
Type		Seeding rate (pounds of live seed per acre)	Spring	Fall	Depth
Grasses
Barley	Annual, cool-season grass	Broadcast:110 to 140 Drilled:80 to 110		Sept 15 to 30	1 to 2 inches
Bermudagrass	Perennial, warm-season grass	20 to 30 bushels per acre sprigged 30 bushels broadcast	March to May		1 to 2 inches
Bluegrass, Kentucky	Perennial, cool-season grass	Broadcast:10 to 15 Drilled:8 to 10	January and February		1/8 to 1/4 inches
Bluestem, big	Perennial, warm-season grass	6 to 8	April and May		1/4 to 1/2 inches
Bluestem, Caucasian	Perennial, warm-season grass	3 to 4	late April to early May		1/4 inches
Bromegrass, smooth	Perennial, cool-season grass	Broadcast:15 to 20 Drilled:10 to 15	February and March	September	1/4 to 1/2 inches
Eastern gamagrass	Perennial, warm-season grass	Drilled:10	May
Fescue, tall	Perennial, cool-season grass	Broadcast:15 to 20 Drilled:10 to 15	Before April 15	Before Sept. 15	1/4 to 1/2 inches
Johnsongrass	Perennial, warm-season grass	10 to 20	Early spring		1/4 to 1/2 inches
Indiangrass	Perennial, warm-season grass	6 to 8	April and May		1/4 to 1/2 inches
Millet, pearl	Annual, cool-season grass	Broadcast:20 to 30 Drilled:15	May to early June		1/2 to 1 inches
Oats	Annual, cool-season grass	80 to 120	March	Sept 15 to 30	1 to 2 inches
Orchardgrass	Perennial, cool-season grass	10 to 15	late March to early April	late August to early September	1/4 to 1/2 inches
Reed canarygrass	Perennial, cool-season grass	5 to 10	Early spring	August	1/4 to 1/2 inches
Rye	Annual, cool-season grass	110 to 160		After Sept. 15	1 to 2 inches
Ryegrass, perennial	Annual, cool-season grass	Broadcast:15 to 30 Drilled:15 to 20		Late summer to early fall	1/2 inches
Switchgrass	Perennial, warm-season grass	6 to 8	April and May		1/4 to 1/2 inches
Sudangrass	Annual, cool-season grass	Broadcast:30 to 40 Drilled:20 to 25	May 5 to 20		1 to 1/2 inches
Timothy	Perennial, cool-season grass	Broadcast:8 Drilled:3 to 6	February and March	Aug. 20 to Oct. 1	1/4 to 1/2 inches
Triticale	Annual, cool-season grass	70 to 100		October	1 to 2 inches
Wheat	Annual, cool-season grass	100 to 150		Oct. 1 to 15	1 to 2 inches
Legumes
Alfalfa	Perennial, warm-season legume	12 to 15	Before April 15	September	1/4 inches
Birdsfoot trefoil	Perennial, cool-season legume	4 to 8	February to early Mar	Fall	1/8 inches
Clover, alsike	Perennial, cool-season legume	4 to 6	Early spring	Fall	1/4 inches
Clover, crimson	Annual, cool-season legume	Broadcast:20 to 25		July to November	1/4 inches
Clover, ladino	Perennial, cool-season legume	Broadcast:1 to 3	February to April 15	August early September	1/4 inches
Clover, red	Perennial, cool-season legume	8 to 12	February to April 15	Aug. 15 to Sept. 15	1/4 to 1/2 inches
Crownvetch	Perennial, warm-season legume	10 to 15	March 15 to May 15	October to April	1/4 inches
Hairy vetch	Bienniall, cool-season legume	25 to 30		October to Nov. 15	1 to 2 inches
Lespedeza, common	Annual, warm-season legume	Broadcast:15 Drilled:10	March and April		1/4 inches
Lespedeza, Korean	Annual, warm-season legume	Broadcast:15 Drilled:10	March and April		1/4
Lespedeza, sericea	Perennial, warm-season legume	25 to 35	March 15 to April 15		1/4 inches

Seeding dates are for Columbia.
Plant later in spring and earlier in fall in northern Missouri.
Plant earlier in spring and later in fall in southern Missouri.

Table 2
Mixtures

Grass-legume mixtures	Seeding rate (pounds live seed per acre)
Orchardgrass + Alfalfa	6 + 10
Orchardgrass + Birdsfoot trefoil	3 + 5
Orchardgrass + Birdsfoot trefoil + Kentucky bluegrass	3 + 5 + 1
Orchardgrass + Ladino clover	6 + 1
Orchardgrass + Lespedeza	6 + 15
Orchardgrass + Lespedeza + Ladino clover	6 + 15 + 1/2
Orchardgrass + Red clover	6 + 8
Reed canarygrass + Alfalfa	6 + 10
Reed canarygrass + Ladino clover + Alsike clover	6 + 1 + 2
Reed canarygrass + Red clover	6 + 10 or 6 + 8
Smooth bromegrass + Alfalfa	10 + 10
Smooth bromegrass + Birdsfoot trefoil	5 to 6 + 5
Tall fescue + Alfalfa	10 + 10 or 15 + 10
Tall fescue + Alfalfa + Ladino clover	15 + 10 + 1/2
Tall fescue + Birdsfoot trefoil	5 to 8 + 5
Tall fescue + Ladino clover	15 + 1
Tall fescue + Lespedeza, annual	15 + 15
Tall fescue + Lespedeza + Ladino clover	15 + 15 + 1/2
Tall fescue + Red clover	10 + 8 or 15 + 8
Tall fescue + Red clover + Ladino clover	10 + 6 + 1
Timothy + Birdsfoot trefoil	2 + 5
Timothy + Birdsfoot trefoil + Kentucky bluegrass	1 + 5 + 2
Timothy + Red clover	2 (fall) or 4 (spring) + 8
Wheat + Hairy vetch	40 + 20 or 40 + 30
Renovation	Broadcast		Drilled on prepared seedbed
Renovation	On undisturbed soil	On tilled soil	Drilled on prepared seedbed
Alfalfa	10	8	6
Birdsfoot trefoil	8	6	4
Ladino clover	1-1/2	1	1/2
Lespedeza	25	20	15
Red clover	10	8	6

Why Forage Seedings Fail

Live seed does not germinate because:
1. Impermeable seed coat: This can be overcome by scarifying seed.
2. Not enough air: This occurs because seed were sown too deeply or in wet soils.
3. Not enough moisture.
Seedlings die immediately after germination because:
1. Drying: seed placed in loose surface soil may germinate after a light rain, then dry out before developing sufficient roots for establishment.
2. Freezing: Seed are sensitive to freezing as the young root breaks the seed coat; temperatures below -3 degrees Celsius are lethal. Soil coverage reduces the likelihood of injury, and once rooted, seedlings can withstand much lower temperatures.
3. Light coverage: Soil cover or mulch protects against both drying and freezing; without it, seed establish only when soil surface remains moist for extended periods.
4. Heavy coverage: Most wasted seed probably occurs this way.
5. Crusted soil surface: This can prevent emergence, especially when seed are sown deeply on fine-textured soils.
6. Toxicity: Seed in direct contact with banded fertilizer, improper use of herbicides, herbicide carryover, and autotoxicity can damage seed and young seedlings.
Seedlings die after establishment because:
1. Undesirable pH: Lime should be applied according to soil test to provide a desirable pH; calcium and magnesium should be applied as nutrients.
2. Low fertility: A soil test should be used to ensure adequate phosphorus, potassium, or other nutrients.
3. Inadequate legume inoculation.
4. Poor drainage: Water accumulation on the surface or in the soil profile can limit growth.
5. Drought: This is the reason most commonly given for stand failures.
6. Seedling vigor: Some forages, including nurse crops, can compete with forage seedlings for water, light and nutrients.
7. Insects and pests.
8. Winterkill: Seeding too late in the fall or seeding poorly adapted cultivars can cause winterkill.

Adapted with permission from Vough, L. R., A. M. Decker, and T. H. Taylor. 1995. Forage establishment and renovation. P. 42 in Barnes, Miller and Nelson, editors. Forages, fifth edition, Iowa State University Press, Ames.

G4652, reviewed June 2001