Bermudagrass Is Important in Pastures

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Bermudagrass Is Important in Pastures in
MD Already Many summer pastures have
large components of Bermudagrass and
Crabgrass Came in with Hay or Animals Much
better types out there Some has been brought
In Requires perimeter management.
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Benefits of Bermudagrass
Thrives in Drought and Heat Grazing or Hay
managed right Good Stuff Nutrient Capture and
Soil Retention Reduces undesirable weeds spiny
Amaranth
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Suitable Land Uses - Water Quality
Feeding and Heavy Use Areas What do you get?
Forage in the Summer too! Summer Pasture What
do you get? Forage that grows in the Summer!
Hay Production What do you get? If managed
right good forage for horses too!
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Feeding and Heavy Use Areas Several
sites in the State have been sprigged with a sod
type Bermudagrass called Quickstand (sterile, sod
/erosion control type) over the last 4
years What did we get? About 50 of stands
were successful in 2 years. Very droughty
springs. Need moisture at sprigging. Stands
have persisted after being winter feeding areas.
More evaluation work to do. Have been
productive pastures in the summer.
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Hay and Pasture Need to evaluate
Sprigged and Seeded for Maximum production and
regional adaptation. Mid May 2007 Sprigging
and Seeding Done Hay site
Horse Pasture site Sprigged Varieties
Sprigged Varieties Midland 99
Quickstand

(heavy use area) Tifton 44

Ozark Ozark
Midland 99 Exceptional
Establishment Year Performance
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Hay and Pasture Need to evaluate
Sprigged and Seeded for Maximum production and
climatic adaptation. Charles and Calvert
Counties Mid May 2007 Sprigging and Seeding
Done Hay site Horse
Pasture site Seeded Varieties
Seeded Varieties Riata
Wrangler (heavy Wrangler
use area) Sungrazer Plus
Mohawk
Exceptional Establishment Year Performance
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One Week Later..
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Middle of the Summer (two rains only) On Left
Mohawk next to the Sprigged Varieties
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Riata (foreground), Wrangler, Sungrazer Plus
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Dense Sprigs
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View from Ozark and across sprigged field
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Midland 99 with other sprigged plots to the left
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View from Sungrazer, looking at Wrangler, Riata
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Midland 99 with other sprigged plots to the left
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Spreading the Sprigs
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Incorporating The Sprigs into the Heavy Use /
Sacrifice Area
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Rolling the Incorporated Sprigs
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Handseeder for seed and rakes to spread sprigs
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Straw for both sprigged and seeded areas. Water
applied to sprigs mostly.
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Sprigged Quickstand and Seeded Wrangler behind
first fence on left
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Seedling Wrangler Mid Summer
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Remember Bermudagrass Cannot Be Seeded in
Maryland. Sprigs can be but cost a lot more and
you need to go to the Carolinas to get them and
should use a sprigging machine that is not
available here. Environmental and Economic
opportunity for Southern MD and Eastern Shore
Farmers With good management and control.