Cool-season species should be planted early in the spring so that there is enough time for seedlings to develop before the summer brings hot, dry weather. They should also be planted early enough in the fall to be strong enough to survive frost and winter stresses. In planting warm-season species, avoid planting seeds in soil too moist and temperatures too low where seeds may rot before germination. There are also factors that determine the amount of seed to be planted. This seeding rate is often a very controversial topic. A wide variance appears in seeding rate information, charts, and guides. This is because every location has different environmental factors and forages are grown over a vast variety of locations. Seeding rates also differ between forage and seed crops. Become familiar with the range in seeding rates in your area. Remember that seeds have a high mortality rate. Some predict that only about one/third of the seed sown will reproduce seedlings and only half of those survive the first year. The main objective is to seed enough for good forage production. Seed is a minor expense, and high seeding rates may prove to reduce the weeds.
