As the seasons change, thoughts turn to getting on the field. When it comes to establishing a turf seed production field, there’s a lot to consider, so we’ve put together a checklist to help.
- Select a field that is generally free of weeds or that contains easy-to-kill weeds. When weeds are present during seeding, it can be difficult for your equipment to maintain good seed placement and seed-to-soil contact, which can reduce your overall stand.
- Avoid any fields with Group 1 resistant wild oats and/or quackgrass when planting a turfgrass crop. Group 1 resistant wild oats and quackgrass are some of the most serious weeds when it comes to turfgrass crops. They’re difficult to control and can take over your field, reducing yield potential and contaminating your harvest sample.
- Use a pre-seed herbicide to help control winter annual weeds and any early germinating annual weeds.
- Don’t put all your seed in the drill at once. Turfgrass seeds are lightweight and don’t flow as well as other crops. To ensure your seeding rate is correct, it’s best to start seeding with a few bags of seed to make sure everything is working properly.
- Don’t plant turfgrasses too deep — ½ inch depth is ideal. Set your machine and check your depth when you start planting to ensure you’re planting the field evenly across the entire machine width.
- If you’re planting a cereal like wheat or oats for a companion crop, the turfgrass needs to be seeded in a separate row from the cover crop, which is usually accomplished by seeding the turfgrass in a second pass seeded at an angle to the cereal crop. Some growers use a paired row opener when seeding turfgrasses, with the cereal seeded down the center and the grass seed out to the sides.
If when it comes down to it, you find yourself asking more questions, reach out to your BrettYoung Seed Production Specialist. Our team is available all season long to help with whatever you may need.
