An Overview Of Cool-Season Forages In Ohio
(Continued from Page 24)
white clovers persist better
under heavy, continuous
grazing because they are
prolific reseeders. Purchase
seed of stated quality to be
certain of obtaining pure seed
of the white clover desired.
• Alsike clover is a short
lived perennial legume that is
tolerant of wet, acidic soils.
Alsike tolerates soils with a
pH as low as 5.0. which is too
acidic for red clover and al
falfa. Alsike also grows better
than red clover on alkaline
(high pH) soils. Alsike to
lerates flooding better than
other legumes, making it well
suited for low-lying fields
with poor drainage. Alsike
can withstand spring flood
ing for several weeks. A cool
and moist environment is
ideal for alsike clovei growth;
it has poor heat and drought
tolerance. It usually produces
only one crop of hay. It must
be allowed to reseed itself to
maintain its presence in pas
tures, otherwise it will last
only about two years.
• Kentucky bluegiass is a
long-lived peienmal grass es
pecially well suited to pas
tures. It forms a dense, tough
sod under favorable condi
tions, providing good footing
for grazing animals. Ken
tucky bluegrass is one of the
most forgiving grasses, able
to tolerate and persist under
a wide range of soil condi
tions and mismanagement;
however, it responds to good
management. Kentucky blue
grass grows best under cool
and moist conditions, and
Hay Buddy™ power mergers speed harvest and improve hay quality. Forage is lifted
with a gentle sweeping motion and cascades forward onto a wide, endless belt convey-
Hay Buddy™ Power Merger Benefits
• Speeds harvesting so more hay is put into storage at peak quality
• Moves and fluffs hay to promote drying
• Gentle action saves more leaves
• Fewer stones and rocks are found in the windrow than with wheel
rakes
• Greater volume of material in a merged windrow means that harvest
ing equipment
187 Merts Drive
(Rheems exit of Rte 283)
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
v i?
MILLER
S- Ni'im;
since 1899
usually becomes semi
dormant during the summer. '
Planting good quality seed re
sults in a more productive
pasture than the naturally
volunteering bluegrass.
• Orchardgrass is a versa
tile perennial bunch-type
grass (no rhizomes) that es
tablishes rapidly and is suit
able for hay, silage, or
pasture. Orchardgrass is
probably the most productive
cool-season grass grown in
Ohio, especially under good
fertility management. It has
rapid regrowth, produces
well under intensive cutting
or grazing, and attains more
summer growth than most of
the other cool-season grasses.
Orchardgrass tolerates
drought better than seveiai
other grasses. Orchardgrass
grows best in deep, well
drained, loamy soils. Its
flooding tolerance is fair in
the summer but poor in the
winter.
Orchardgrass is especially
well suited for mixtures with
tall legumes, such as alfalfa
and red clover. The rapid de
cline in palatability and qual
ity with maturity is a
limitation with this grass.
Timely harvest management
is essential for obtaining good
quality forage.
Improved varieties of or
chardgrass, with high yield
potential and improved re
sistance to leaf diseases, are
available. When seeding
orchardgrass-legume mix
tures, ' select varieties that
mature at about the same
time. The later-maturing
717-367-1319
800-222-3373
Dump Boxes &
Tandem Trailer Style Wagons
• makes fewer passes over the field
• operates at a lower ground speed
• has fewer hours of operation
• uses less fuel
• requires fewer man hours
• Reduces soil compaction with fewer trips over the field made by large
machinery and heavy loads
MESSICK’S
www.messicks.com
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 13,2002, Foraging Around-25
varieties are best suited for
growing with alfalfa, because
they match the maturity de
velopment of alfalfa and are
easier to manage for timely
harvest to obtain good quality
forage.
• Perennial ryegrass is a
bunch grass suitable for hay.
silage, or pasture. It is best
adapted to northeast Ohio.
Perennial ryegrass produces
excellent quality and palat
able forage, is a vigorous es
tablisher, has a long growing
season, and is high yielding
under good fertility when
moisture is not lacking. Be
cause it is less winter hardy
than other grasses, perennial
ryegrass is best seeded m
combination with other
grasses and legumes. It has
not persisted well in the
southern half of Ohio because
of it lack ol heat and drought
tolerance. Perennial ryegrass
can be grown on occasionally
wet soils. It is less competi
tive with legumes than or
chardgrass, and is usually
later to mature than or
chardgrass. Like or
chardgrass, perennial
ryegrass can withstand fre
quent cutting or grazing. It is
more difficult to cut with a
sickle bar mower and is
slower to dry than other
grasses.
Other cool season grasses
in Ohio include:
• reed canarygrass;
• smooth bromegrass;
• tall fescue;
• timothy;
• prairie grass; and
• garrison grass.
.which adds up to big savings!
7481 Lincoln Highway,
Rte. 30 East
Abbottstown, PA 17301
717-259-6617
888-285-0225
The Rohrer Sales Team
The Rohrer sales team thanks you
for your business this season We
were blessed with an excellent forage
planting season this year. We have
ample supply of all our mixes and var
ieties of forage seed for last minute
plantings. If you are done with your
spring pasture seedings, please keep
us in mind for this August and Sept
ember for your fall needs.
The Rohrer Sales Team (from left): Ed Koncle,
Earl Rohrer, Paul Cambell. Gary Bender
Ed Koncle is our farm seed dealer
salesman. Please call Ed if you are
interested in becoming a Rohrer
dealer Earl Rohrer and Gary Bender
work in the Rohrer office on phone
and counter sales of farm seeds Paul
Cambell is Rohrer’s farm seed sales
man covering southern Lancaster Co.
We carry a full line of farm seeds, ag
chemicals, and lawn and garden seed
and supplies
Our Pasture Perfect® line-up includes
the following mixes Please call us to
find out which mix is best for you
Rohrer’s Pasture Perfect 15 Mixes
Rohrer Seeds
717-299-2571
MILLER
St Nwun/
Pasture Perfect is a
registered trademark of
since 1899
Integrity & Excellence Our Foundation Your Guarantee'
Mmstam
#fo>2gßg**
Horse Pasture
Mid-Atlantic Grazer
General Purpose
Renovator Special
Triple Purpose
Hay Diversion
Lowland Pasture
"S2SC-
Available from
and their dealer network
For product details and local purchase
info , please visit us on the web at
www.pastureperfect.com