Time for Forage Seedings in the Mid Atlantic

 Overseeding

Late February and March is the time frame for broadcast seeding clover on the surface of pastures and hay fields. The sod to be overseeded needs to be short (1-2 inches). Fertility and soil pH need to be adequate to encourage legume growth. Weeds need to have been killed. Seed 6-8 lbs. of red clover per acre on pastures and hay fields that will be grazed. Allow cattle to remain on the overseeded field to help cover the seed. Pulling a drag of some type behind the broadcast seeder will help. Graze overseeded pastures early to favor the legume seedlings. Cut overseeded hay fields early for the same reason.

No-Till Seeding Alfalfa and Other Forages

In sods killed last fall, most likely an application of glyphosate will be needed to kill any winter annual weeds that have appeared. Seed as soon after March 1 as possible. If seeding alfalfa, use fungicide treated seed to protect against seedling diseases. 

Killing sod this spring and seeding is risky at best. Unless it is a dense tall fescue sod that will provide a thick mulch, do not plan to kill and seed into sods this spring. Instead, kill the sod and plant a smother crop such as foxtail millet or dwarf pearl millet and seed the forage stand in late summer. Another alternative is to wait until August to kill the sod and seed.

Thin grass stands in pastures can often be improved by no-till seeding grass into them in late February - early March, without first killing the sod. The existing sod needs to be very short. Fertility and pH must be adequate. Such pastures should be grazed periodically in spring to favor growth of the new seedlings.

Seedings into small grains is an excellent way to establish new stands. There are several alternatives. On is to kill the small grain stand with glyphosate when plants are 8-10 inches tall and seed. Or, remove the small grain for silage, allow 3-4 inches of regrowth, apply glyphosate and seed. Also, no-till seeding in standing small grains and then harvesting it early for silage will work.

Thin stands resulting from seedings made last fall can be very effectively "thickened up" by seeding no-till in early March. About 1/2 the normal seeding rate should suffice.

Conventional tillage and seeding is still an excellent option in low erosion-potential fields with weed problems or in need to be smoothed. It is important to prepare the seedbed and seed as early as possible. Be careful not to place the seed deeper than 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, then firm the soil over the seed.

Thoughts from Harlan E White, Virginia Tech Extension Forage Agronomist