Forage Choices

[texansfan]

I had a 20 acre tract of pine clear cut few months ago.
I want to turn this into pasture.
Soil was tested and it is at 6.2ph
What grass should I go with?
I was thinking of doing a 4 grass test with:
Pensacola bahia
Tifton 9
Common bermuda
Texas Tough +

Each in 5 acre plots to see which done better.

I'm in the pineywoods of deep east texas.
Suggestions?

[Hockley]

Depends on your goal. Do you want it for cattle, wildlife, birds, or all the above? I personally am a true believer in native grasses, which you haven't mentioned. With 20 acres you aren't going to make a living on cattle so why not go native?

[Hawkpuppy 1]

^ This. Little Bluestem, Bushy bluestem, grammas and indian grass

[Low Fence]

All depends on goals like stated

It should be illegal to plant Baha’i. With it in the mix at 1% you will have 100%

[texansfan]

Depends on your goal. Do you want it for cattle, wildlife, birds, or all the above? I personally am a true believer in native grasses, which you haven't mentioned. With 20 acres you aren't going to make a living on cattle so why not go native?

Cattle.
Few cow-calf pairs to mess around with is all.
Would be nice to have some pollinators in there so my bees could eat.
Right now I have a couple acres of crimson clover i plant.

Native??? How is that for forage?

[tdwinklr]

Cattle.
Few cow-calf pairs to mess around with is all.
Would be nice to have some pollinators in there so my bees could eat.
Right now I have a couple acres of crimson clover i plant.

Native??? How is that for forage?

cows and deer love it!

[Stoof]

If your interested in going native, I would start here: https://www.seedsource.com/
You can call them up and give them specifics on your location and goals and they will build your mix.

[Hockley]

You should also call your NRCS office or your local biologist. You many be able to get some funding to help with natives. If you have bees you are obviously aware of the environment. Got Native!

[texansfan]

You should also call your NRCS office or your local biologist. You many be able to get some funding to help with natives. If you have bees you are obviously aware of the environment. Got Native!

NRCS walked my land with me and gave suggestions but I always like to get a second opinion.
NRCS never mentioned native
He was gung ho on bahia

[texansfan]

cows and deer love it!

Deer???
I'm feeding cows and honey bees

[bobc]

Look up B Dahl. Grows well, grows thick, and it grazes good. Also, pretty drought tolerant.

[Low Fence]

Baha’i is honestly the worst idea I’ve ever seen on this web site! It mixes with nothing. It chokes out everything it’s tough as boot leather unless kept over grazed and can become toxic in stress conditions (extreme drought)

[Mohawkman]

Common Bermuda is not for pasture it is for lawns. Very little forage. Natives and b-Dahl don’t do well when over grazed, they need periods to rest and seed. If you are not interested in wildlife coastal Bermuda. Don’t plant a test patch of it and think you are going to start over with something else. It is almost impossible to eliminate once established. You can run a cow to 2 or 3 acres if it gets enough water and fertilize.

[neskora]

All depends on goals like stated

It should be illegal to plant Baha’i. With it in the mix at 1% you will have 100%

This x1,000,000

[Strummer]

Maybe klein grass ?