Time is counting down with only 45 to 75 days until ideal Tall Fescue planting time depending on where you are in the fescue belt! Plan on seeding September 1-15 in the northern and mountain areas to as late as October 1-15 in the more southern regions. See state specific guidelines on the Alliance for Grasslands Renewal website for more details.
Walk the fields to be renovated and scout for weeds. Are there problem weeds that might need an herbicide treatment in additional to glyphosate? An example would be in areas where horsenettle or Dutch white clover are present as they are very resistant to glyphosate. Consider using a broadleaf herbicide effective on the weeds you see and apply at least 45 days before you plan to plant the tall fescue as most broad-leaf herbicides will have a short-term impact on the growth of new grass seedlings.
Areas renovated with the Spray-Wait-Spray-Plant system need to be sprayed with the first application of glyphosate 45 days before the second spray and planting. This means August 1 for an expected planting date of September 15, so don’t let that date sneak up on you. If it is extremely dry, delay this spraying, but make sure you don’t wait too late. If dry weather continues, then consider postponing renovation for another year.
Order your seed now if you haven’t already. The harvest is underway in Oregon, and the wide variety of Novel Endophyte Tall Fescue products will be on the way to distributors soon. The variety you choose is likely not stocked on store shelves, so talk to your seed dealer early to make sure they have your seed when you need it. When you pick up the seed make sure you receive the variety you ordered and check to make sure that the bags carry the Alliance for Grassland Renewal seal, indicating it has passed rigorous testing for seed quality and endophyte viability.
If the supplier does not have your seed when you need it, wait! Waiting a few weeks is better than planting endophyte-free or toxic KY-31 Tall Fescue. Don’t get talked into planting an endophyte-free tall fescue if you need stands that last more than a few years. Don’t get talked into planting KY-31 just because the seed is there on the shelf for you to buy.
Schedule a drill if you must use a rental unit, or do needed maintenance if you own your own drill. If you plan to broadcast seed then make sure your spreader is in good shape, and that you are using some level of tillage to get good seed/soil contact.
If you wish you had prepared for renovation earlier in the year but missed a critical step, go ahead and plan on spraying KY31 fescue stands with glyphosate in late summer anyway, and after it dies down drill in a small grain like rye, oats or wheat (or other cool season annual) for winter grazing. Don’t use ryegrass, as volunteer seedlings will give you problems. Follow with a summer annual next year and you will be on schedule to plant novel endophyte tall fescue pastures in the Fall of 2027. Ask your extension agent or other advisor for help, and attend a workshop during the coming year to learn all you can about Tall Fescue Pasture Renovation.
First and second-year stands still need special attention to ensure long-term success. Scout these stands and make sure you control weeds. If there is substantial crabgrass, foxtail, or other weedy grasses, make sure to keep those grazed down or take a hay cutting before time for the fescue to start growing when weather cools. If there are broadleaf weeds, then spray for those, generally avoiding herbicides known for residual control. If there are few weeds then it is time to add clovers to the system. We would generally recommend grazing the fall growth of these pastures by mid-January, and then frost-seeding a mix of red and white clovers. Be aware that if you used an herbicide with a residual (like aminopyralid) then it will take several years before clover can be planted.
~ Matt Poore for the Alliance for Grassland Renewal
The Alliance for Grassland Renewal is a national organization focused on enhancing the appropriate adoption of novel endophyte tall fescue technology through education, incentives, self-regulation and promotion. For more resources or to learn more about the Alliance for Grassland Renewal, go to www.grasslandrenewal.org
The Alliance for Grassland Renewal 