Frequently Asked Questions: Forage Selection and Establishment

• When is the best time to seed forages?
• What preparations are necessary before seeding a forage crop?
• How deep should I seed and what seeding rate should I use?
• Will the seed flow correctly through my seeder?
• Should I use a cover crop?
• How much fertilizer can I place with the seed?
• What row spacing should I use?
• What should I seed in saline areas?
• What variety of alfalfa should I seed?

André Bonneau
Forage Conversion Specialist.
Agriculture Knowledge Centre, SAF
Updated – March 15, 2005

When is the best time to seed forages?

Studies indicate that early spring is the best time to seed forages, in order to take advantage of favourable soil moisture and to avoid high summer temperatures. Seeding can also be done in late fall, prior to freeze up.  However, legume seed has significant mortality when fall seeded. (Forage Establishment: Getting It to Grow)

Before establishing a perennial forage crop, weed control should be addressed.  Weeds, especially perennial weeds such as Canada thistle and quack grass, can be difficult to control in a forage crop.  (Planning to Seed Forages)

Use soil test recommendations to ensure fertility is adequate for forage establishment.  (Fertility Management of Perennial Stands)

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Most forages should be seeded at 0.5 inches (12 mm). Smaller seeded crops, such as timothy or birdsfoot trefoil, should be seeded at 0.25 inches (6 mm). Placing forage seed deeper than one inch (25 mm) severely reduces emergence of the crop.  Seeding rates should be from 20 to 40 seeds per ft² (220 to 440 per m²), from the driest areas to irrigation. Individual species have different seed densities, so rates have to be calculated for each instance. Seed densities are indicated on page 7 of the Saskatchewan Forage Crop Production Guide

Will the seed flow correctly through my seeder?

Seed flow depends on the species. Larger seeded or high bushel weight forage seed flow relatively well through seeding implements. Chaffy grasses, such as the bromegrasses, should be mixed with a seed to fertilizer ratio of up to 1:3 to help increase flow. (Air Seeding Forage Crops - PAMI)

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Should I use a cover crop?

Cover crops are generally not recommended in most areas of Saskatchewan because they are a source of water and nutrient competition for the forage crop.  In the arid areas of the province, establishment and future forage production can be effected.  Negative effect is reduced in higher rainfall areas.

If a cover crop is necessary, (such as in highly erodible areas), consider the following:

• Use a less competitive crop, such as flax.  Research indicates that barley ranks as the most competitive cereal, followed by oats and wheat.
• Seed the cover crop at half the recommended seeding rate or less.
• Seed both crops early, but in separate operations at right angles to each other.
• Remove the cover crop as silage or green feed early to reduce competition. 
• Do not harvest the cover crop as seed.

(Planning to Seed Forages)

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A maximum of 15 lb. (7 kg) of phosphate (P₂O₅) can be placed with the seed, with good soil moisture conditions, a 2.5 inch (6 cm) spread opener, and 7 inch (18 cm) row spacing.

For best results, begin your soil fertility program before seeding.  Nutrients applied before seeding, such as phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), will increase nutrient availability to the forage crop.

Fertilizer can be applied either in the late fall or early spring.  Nitrogen should be placed into the soil with discs or a coulter to reduce volatilization losses in dry conditions.  Phosphate should be applied in the same manner to prevent washout.  (Saskatchewan Forage Crop Production Guide) (Forage Establishment - Foragebeef.ca)

Row spacing can affect productivity over the long term. Wider rows minimize competition for moisture between plants and increase production when moisture is deficient. Rows spaced too widely provide poor ground cover, particularly under heavy grazing, and can result in severe weed infestation between rows and increased potential for erosion.

Guide to Row Spacing

Seeding alfalfa in alternative rows, or cross seeding, will help to maintain more alfalfa in the stand than when the two forages are seeded in the same row. This may provide slightly higher yields and quality of forage, but ground cover is reduced by alternate row seeding, increasing the potential for erosion. (Saskatchewan Forage Crop Production Guide)

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Many farmers believe alkali and saline soils are one and the same.  There is a difference:  saline soils have a high concentration of soluble salts, while alkali soils are low in soluble salts and have high sodium content and a high pH (over 8.5). There are virtually no true alkali soils in Saskatchewan. (“The Nature and Management of Salt-affected Soils in Saskatchewan” - 1992)

Tall wheatgrass, slender wheatgrass, Dahurian wildrye, altai wildrye, NewHy wheatgrass, Western wheatgrass, and Russian wild ryegrass all have good salinity tolerance. However, some species provide less ground cover than others.  Reducing surface evaporation by lowering the water table reduces surface salt deposits. If using a bunch-grass to control salinity, consider seeding a mixture with a saline-tolerant creeping-type legume or grass to increase ground cover and reduce surface evaporation.(Saskatchewan Forage Crop Production Guide)

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What variety of alfalfa should I seed?

There are many varieties of alfalfa available. For grazing or low moisture areas in the brown soil zone, creeping-rooted alfalfa varieties are better suited. Tap-rooted varieties provide greater hay yields. If an alfalfa stand is being used for five years or less, select a variety based on yield potential.  If the stand will be used longer than five years, select a variety with good disease and stress tolerance. Variety information is available in the Saskatchewan Forage Crop Production Guide.

Links and further reading:
Foragebeef.ca
Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives
Montana State University Extension Service
North Dakota State University Extension Service

For more information, please contact the
Agriculture Knowledge Centre at:
1-866-457-2377.