– Mark Sulc, OSU Extension Forage Specialist
August is a good window of opportunity for establishing perennial forage stands.
August is the second good window of opportunity of the year for establishing perennial forage stands (spring being the first good planting time). August is also the ideal time for filling in gaps in seedings made this spring. The primary risk with late summer forage seedings is having sufficient moisture for seed germination and good plant establishment before cold weather arrives. The decision to plant or not will have to be made for each individual field, considering soil moisture status and the rainfall forecast. Rainfall and adequate soil moisture in the few weeks immediately after seeding is the primary factor affecting successful forage establishment.
No-till Seedings
No-till seeding is an excellent choice to conserve soil moisture for seed germination in late summer. Make sure that the field surface is relatively level and smooth if you plan to no-till, because you will have to live with any field roughness for multiple years of harvesting operations. No-till into wheat stubble would be . . .
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