Grass seed-makes, types & prices

westlander

Hello all,
Was reading an article in the farming supplement a few wks ago about grass seed. Early, intermediate & late varieties. Then the makes were split up between tetraploid & diploid ad according to Teagasc if your land contains below 65% perennial rye grass its best to re-seed.

Can people give me their opinions on price & the quality of the seed you purchased?

Any recommendations or info at all in relation to what to stay away from and what make of grass-seed is safest to go with?

Silage and grazing is what we will be after.

Thanks,

RobinBanks

Its best to talk to an agent. I have re-seeded most of my land over the last few years. I have used many different varieties based on there advice. The last two companies I dealt with were moregrass.ie and seeddirect.ie They will be able to adivse you on varieties and so on. Price of seed is ~€50 per acre.

I think whats more important then seed choice is the type of soil you have i.e. heavy / light and the requirements from the ley. management of the new ley is also very important. If I could turn back the clock I would graze all newly re-seeded fields with sheep or young stock for the first summer.

Perhaps there are seed experts on here that can offer further advice but I would def look at you're soil type and have samples taken before purchasing any seed. After that graze it properly for the first year and I think any Reps approved seed would probably do ya. Dont get caught up in all choices because it will never work out the way you expect it to.

Username John

RobinBanks wrote: »

Its best to talk to an agent. I have re-seeded most of my land over the last few years. I have used many different varieties based on there advice. The last two companies I dealt with were moregrass.ie and seeddirect.ie They will be able to adivse you on varieties and so on. Price of seed is ~€50 per acre.

I think whats more important then seed choice is the type of soil you have i.e. heavy / light and the requirements from the ley. management of the new ley is also very important. If I could turn back the clock I would graze all newly re-seeded fields with sheep or young stock for the first summer.

Perhaps there are seed experts on here that can offer further advice but I would def look at you're soil type and have samples taken before purchasing any seed. After that graze it properly for the first year and I think any Reps approved seed would probably do ya. Dont get caught up in all choices because it will never work out the way you expect it to.

Hi Robin,

Did you plant the NZ grasses from Moregrass? I was looking at them in the leaflet that came with the journal a few weeks back, specifically the MG620 mix.
Be interested if anyone used them, and what the experiences were.

Thanks.

jeff greene

I have used Castlehill from Sinclair McGill and find it good

RobinBanks

Username John wrote: »

Hi Robin,

Did you plant the NZ grasses from Moregrass? I was looking at them in the leaflet that came with the journal a few weeks back, specifically the MG620 mix.
Be interested if anyone used them, and what the experiences were.

Thanks.

Hi John,

Ya i have used MG150. For some reason I thought I included that in my first response. I would stand behind that particular mix but I haven't used MG620. Declan from independent seed company (moregrass) should be able to advise of farmer satisfaction or dis-satisfaction!

The only draw back of the MG150 is that it grows to quick. I have to cut it separate to the other silage fields and I have to put the cows back into more often late summer. Its harder manage from that point of view.

The main reason I went for it is that it grows well in colder weather and I am trying to get the spring born calves out grazing earlier in the year. This year I was able to put the cows into it for nearly two weeks early march. If you could plant a little Timothy along with it I think you would have a great ley as the timothy seems to provide a denser sward and more ground cover which protects the sod from being badly dug. The hybrid grasses are a little too open for grazing at that time of the year.

Username John

RobinBanks wrote: »

Hi John,

Ya i have used MG150. For some reason I thought I included that in my first response. I would stand behind that particular mix but I haven't used MG620. Declan from independent seed company (moregrass) should be able to advise of farmer satisfaction or dis-satisfaction!

The only draw back of the MG150 is that it grows to quick. I have to cut it separate to the other silage fields and I have to put the cows back into more often late summer. Its harder manage from that point of view.

The main reason I went for it is that it grows well in colder weather and I am trying to get the spring born calves out grazing earlier in the year. This year I was able to put the cows into it for nearly two weeks early march. If you could plant a little Timothy along with it I think you would have a great ley as the timothy seems to provide a denser sward and more ground cover which protects the sod from being badly dug. The hybrid grasses are a little too open for grazing at that time of the year.

Cheers Robin.

Twould be for sheep only I'd want it. But same as yerself - for early grass. Altho I would need grass from Jan onwards.

Interesting that you think the grass is a little bit too open for grazing then. I think I saw Timothy mentioned somewhere that it was good for heavy land, so I guess it makes sense be good in the early spring as well...

Re it growing too quick - am not the best at the ould grass management. But I guess growing too fast isnt the worst complaint in the world either about grass seed

Thanks.

RobinBanks

Username John wrote: »

Cheers Robin.

Twould be for sheep only I'd want it. But same as yerself - for early grass. Altho I would need grass from Jan onwards.

Interesting that you think the grass is a little bit too open for grazing then. I think I saw Timothy mentioned somewhere that it was good for heavy land, so I guess it makes sense be good in the early spring as well...

Re it growing too quick - am not the best at the ould grass management. But I guess growing too fast isnt the worst complaint in the world either about grass seed

Thanks.

What I meant by open swards was that in wetter weather the field will get dug up. This time of year its not an issue but as I said careful management in the first year or two may help to close in the sward.

Growing to quick is a nice complaint I suppose but the mistake I made is that allot of my grasses have similar heading dates thus making it harder to manage. I think that if westlander plans to re-seed his land he should look to using different varieties in the grazing land to avoid over use of the topper and shaker! I like to rotate my grazing and silage fields from year to year so it would not work as well for me as i like to get the silage done late may to ensure I have plenty of grass for the summer.

stephendevlin

Make sure and soak the grass seed in whiskey overnight. You wont have to use the lawn mower on it.