The Quiet Ritual of Seed Starting: When and How to Winter Seed-Starting
Discover when to start seeds indoors and how winter seed starting can become a calm, meaningful ritual that prepares your garden for spring.
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Written By Chelsea Hafer |
Forage crops play a vital role in ensuring the health and well-being of livestock. These crops not only provide essential nutrition but also improve soil health and sustainability. Before delving into the specifics of planting and managing forage crops, let's understand why they are a valuable addition to any livestock operation.
Now, let's explore the planting and management of specific forage crops, specifically considering planting in the late fall and early spring seasons.
Rye is an excellent cool-season grass that can be planted in both late fall and early spring. It's suitable for a wide range of livestock, including cows, sheep, horses, and chickens. Rye grows quickly and provides high-quality forage, making it an ideal choice for early grazing.
Planting: Sow rye seeds at a rate of 2–4 lb per 1000 sq ft in late September through October for fall planting, or in late February through March for spring planting. Either broadcast the seed, or use 5 inch spacing. Roots improve soil structure.
Management: Ensure adequate soil fertility and moisture. Rye can be grazed when it reaches a height of 6 to 8 inches.
Red clover is a cool-season legume that's safe and nutritious for most livestock, including cows, sheep, horses, and chickens. It fixes nitrogen in the soil, benefiting both crops and pasture. Because legumes can cause issues with bloat, it is best to grow legumes in a mix with other types of forage crops. Avoid using more than 50 percent of legumes in a mix.
Planting: Sow perennial red clover seeds at a rate of 1.2–2.5 lb per 1000 sq ft or 10-20 lb/acre in late summer or early spring. Hardy to -30 F.
Management: Red clover can be grazed when it reaches 6 to 8 inches in height. Allow it to reach 12 inches before grazing it for the best balance of yield and quality.
Perennial White Dutch clover is a versatile legume suitable for various livestock, including cows, sheep, horses, and chickens. It's a low-growing ground cover that provides high protein content.
Planting: Sow white Dutch clover seeds at a rate of 2–4 lb per 1000 sq. ft in late fall or early spring. Hardy to -30 F.
Management: Keep clover height between 3 to 4 inches for optimal nutrition. Rotate grazing to maintain crop health.
Red winter wheat can serve as both a cover crop and a forage crop. It's safe for most livestock, including poultry and pigs. Offers good nutritional value.
Planting: Sow annual winter wheat seeds at a rate of 2–4 lb per 1000 sq. ft in late September through November. Hardy to -25 F.
Management: Allow wheat to reach a height of 8 to 12 inches before grazing. Avoid overgrazing to maintain root health.
Oats are a versatile cool-season grain that can be grazed or cut for hay. They're safe for various livestock, including cows, sheep, horses, and chickens.
Planting: Sow oats at a rate of 30-100lbs/Acre in late summer or early spring.
Management: Oats can be grazed when they reach 6 to 8 inches in height. Alternatively, allow them to mature and harvest them for hay.
Forage turnips are an excellent choice for late fall grazing. They're best suited for cows, sheep, and horses due to their size, but may not be ideal for chickens.
Planting: Sow turnip seeds at a rate of 2 to 4 pounds per acre in late summer.
Management: Turnips are ready for grazing when the bulbs are 2 to 3 inches in diameter. They can also be left for winter grazing.
Forage radishes are similar to turnips and are suitable for cows, sheep, and horses. They're not commonly consumed by chickens, but can be.
Planting: Sow radish seeds at a rate of 2 - 4 lb per 1000 sq. ft in late summer.
Management: Radishes can be grazed when the roots are 1 to 2 inches in diameter. They also improve soil structure.
Corn is a warm-season crop suitable for late spring planting. It's primarily used for silage but can provide forage for cows and, when dried, chickens. For forage use, select dent corn varieties.
Planting: Sow corn seeds in late spring when soil temperatures reach 50°F or higher.
Management: Allow corn to grow until the grain reaches maturity for silage, or let it dry for use as livestock feed.
Soybeans are a warm-season legume suitable for late spring planting. They provide excellent nutrition for cows, sheep, and chickens.
Planting: Sow soybean seeds in late spring when soil temperatures reach 50°F or higher.
Management: Soybeans can be grazed when the plants are 12 to 18 inches tall. They can also be harvested for hay.
Forage crops are a valuable asset for any livestock operation, offering improved nutrition, cost-effectiveness, soil health, dietary diversity, and sustainability. By understanding when and how to plant specific forage crops and which animals can benefit from them, you can optimize your livestock's nutrition and overall well-being. Whether you're planting Rye, Red Clover, White Dutch Clover, Red Winter Wheat, Oats, Turnips, Radishes, Corn, or Soybeans, these crops can make a significant difference in the health and productivity of your livestock, as well as the sustainability of your production.
1 comment
I began my land all natural reclamation business for large acreages in 1996 across western Colorado.