Cool Season Grass
Maximizing Benefits with Cool Season Grasses
Cool season grasses are those that would normally grow either in the early spring thru to early summer or late summer and early fall thru the early part of winter. There are a few grasses that are winter hardy and will grow through the winter as well. These are good options to recapture nutrients that could leach out of the system. They can also provide extra forage for livestock if the opportunity is available. Cool season grasses also can provide the much needed thatch of residue to help with weed control and moisture retention for your spring planted crops.
Annual Ryegrass
• Annual or perennial types
• Medium water use
• Fair salinity tolerance
• Will form arbuscular mycorrhizal associations
• Very good nitrogen scavenger
Black Oats
• Winter cereal for Zone 8 and warmer
• Very fibrous root mass and tillers well
• Very good biomass production
• Works as a spring planted crop in colder climates
• Very durable residue when it reaches maturity
Cereal Rye
• Upright plant
• High water use and good salinity tolerance
• Will form arbuscular mycorrhizal associations
• Very good nitrogen scavenger
• Very good residue builder
Spring Barley
• Upright plant
• Low water use and good salinity tolerance
• Benefits from arbuscular mycorrhizal association
• Very good forage production
• Very good nitrogen scavenger
Spring Oats
• Upright plant
• Medium water use and fair salinity tolerance
• Will form arbuscular mycorrhizal associations
• Very good nitrogen scavenger
• Very good forage quality
Spring Triticale
• Upright plant
• High water use and good salinity tolerance
• Excellent regrowth
• Very good forage quality and quantity
• Will form arbuscular mycorrhizal associations
Winter Barley
• Upright plant
• Low water use and good salinity tolerance
• Benefits from arbuscular mycorrhizal associations
• Very good forage production
• Very good nitrogen scavenger
Winter Oats
• Walken oats have enough cold tolerance to survive our winters for the last 6 years
• Very good early and late forage production
• Medium water use and fair salinity tolerance
• Very good nitrogen scavenger
• Will form arbuscular mycorrhizal associations
Winter Triticale
• Upright plant
• High water use and good salinity tolerance
• Excellent regrowth
• Very good forage quality and quantity
• Will form arbuscular mycorrhizal associations
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