Orchard grass is a perennial, cool-season bunchgrass highly valued as high-quality forage, hay, and pasture grass, often used in mixtures with legumes. It is one of the earliest grasses to initiate growth in the spring, providing excellent feed for livestock. Achieving a successful, dense stand relies heavily on precise timing and proper technique during the establishment phase.
Optimal Planting Windows
The ideal time to plant orchard grass is determined by temperature and moisture availability, offering two main windows for successful establishment. Late summer or early fall is often considered the most reliable time to plant in many regions. This period typically spans from mid-August up to six to eight weeks before the first hard killing frost, allowing the seedlings to develop a robust root system before winter dormancy begins.
Planting in late summer capitalizes on warm soil temperatures, which encourage rapid germination, combined with cooler air temperatures that reduce stress on the emerging seedlings. However, there is an increased risk of winter injury for stands seeded too late, generally after mid-September, as the young plants may not have enough time to accumulate root reserves. The second option is an early spring planting, which should occur as soon as the ground can be worked. Spring seeding benefits from available moisture but carries a higher risk of weed competition and potential heat stress during the summer months before the stand is fully established.
Orchard grass growth is most favorable around 70 degrees Fahrenheit; temperatures above 82 degrees significantly reduce growth and tillering. Monitoring soil temperature is more informative than air temperature for predicting germination success. Planting should occur when the soil is reliably warm enough to support quick emergence. For cool-season grasses, a soil temperature consistently above 50 degrees Fahrenheit is necessary for good germination.
Preparing the Planting Site
Successful establishment of orchard grass begins long before the seed is applied, requiring meticulous attention to the planting site. A clean, firm, and weed-free seedbed is paramount to minimize competition against the slow-to-establish seedlings. Pre-plant weed control, through tillage or herbicides, should be completed well in advance to ensure no active competition remains.
Soil testing is a mandatory step, as it guides the necessary amendments for optimal growth. Orchard grass performs best in a soil pH range of 6.0 to 7.0, though it can tolerate a slightly wider range. If lime is required to adjust the pH, it should be incorporated several months before planting, especially when seeding a mixture with legumes, which are sensitive to low pH.
Final seedbed preparation must result in a surface that is fine, firm, and level. The soil should be firm enough that a footprint sinks no deeper than about half an inch, often achieved using a cultipacker or roller. Proper firmness ensures shallow seed placement and guarantees excellent seed-to-soil contact, which is necessary for uniform moisture uptake and germination.
Seeding Rate and Depth
The mechanics of planting directly influence the density and uniformity of the resulting stand. Orchard grass requires a shallow planting depth, typically between 1/4 to 1/2 inch, because planting deeper than 1/2 inch can drastically reduce emergence rates. This shallow requirement makes proper seedbed firmness particularly important.
When planting in a pure stand, the recommended seeding rate is generally 8 to 12 pounds of pure live seed (PLS) per acre. If the orchard grass is being planted in a mixture with a legume, the seeding rate should be reduced to 3 to 8 pounds per acre to avoid overly aggressive competition with the slower-growing legume seedlings.
Drilling the seed with a grain drill or specialized seeder is the most accurate method for maintaining the correct depth and rate. Broadcasting the seed requires doubling the seeding rate to compensate for lower establishment efficiency. Regardless of the method used, the seed must be immediately followed by a cultipacker or roller to press the seeds into the soil surface, maximizing contact with moist soil particles.
Management After Seeding
Immediate care after planting is essential to transition the seed from germination to a fully established plant. Consistent soil moisture must be maintained, especially in the upper inch of the soil profile, until the seedlings are fully emerged. Light, frequent watering, two to four times daily, is necessary during the initial seven to ten days to keep the seedbed moist without causing runoff or displacing the shallowly planted seeds.
Once the seedlings have emerged, the watering frequency can be reduced, while the duration should be increased to encourage deeper root growth. New seedlings have very short roots and require attention to moisture levels for the first few weeks of growth. Applying a starter fertilizer at planting, or immediately after emergence, is beneficial because it provides phosphorus, which promotes strong root development in young plants.
The stand should not be grazed or harvested until the plants are firmly rooted and are at least 6 to 8 inches tall. Waiting until the second growing season before heavy grazing is often recommended to prevent the livestock from pulling the young plants out of the ground. Allowing this initial growth period ensures the plants are well-established and have built up the necessary root reserves to withstand subsequent defoliation.