We were advised to plant oats and red clover right now, do oats and clover survive in the winter? Also I do not understand about Ryegrass. We are in NC and will need pasture as long as possible and I think we need to plant in the next 2 weeks, is this right? We currently have lots of weeds and some grass. I am not worried about the weeds so much but would like to extend our grazing season.

Lynn

-- Lynn (johnnypfc@yahoo.com), August 29, 2001

Answers

I am in SC VA and we were told to reseed fields in the months with first initals that spell SOD, so that would be Sept. Oct. and Dec. We started a new pasture last year and planted barley as a cover crop so the erosion wouldn't take away our soil. It was a hill that we had logged out and cleared of stumps. We will be seeding with orchard grass and clover this winter. We did one area, about an acre,in ryegrass and it is lush! We originally were going to use it for an orchard but the sheep will be moved into there temporarily while we reseed the other field. Make sure you lime as well. It is sometimes more important than fertilizer.

-- Patricia Ramsey (woolspin@aol.com), August 29, 2001.

This is just what I do, but I wait for 2 things, for the birds to start flying south so they don't eat my seed also, and for Mr. Lilley behind me to overseed his fields! 150 acres of the most beautiful red clover, can't be wrong! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), August 29, 2001.

I don't know about NC, I'm in MO but we usually overseed legumes (clovers lespedeza etc.) in late winter by broadcast. Oats sometimes are sown in fall with perennial pasture cool season grasses to possibly avoid having to clip next spring as you would with wheat to reduce competetition with the primary forage. Still provides a cover crop even if it dies out. There's perennial and annual rye so you're probably wanting the perennial for a permanent pasture. Orchardgrass, Timothy, Redtop etc. are also possible options. Avoid fescue..too many reasons to list. Red clover can be fairly aggressive, if you don't get a good catch on your grass seed it can overwhelm it. Hope this helps.

-- Susan (smtroxel@socket.net), August 29, 2001.