Purchase this item and get Scientific Name: Dactylis glomerata
Introduced from Europe, orchardgrass is a cool-season perennial bunchgrass. It’s used for pasture and hay, and produces high-quality palatable feed for all types of livestock. Orchardgrass can grow up to five feet tall and prefers well-drained soils and is more tolerant of shade than other pasture grasses. Excellent summer regrowth potential. It can be grown without irrigation in areas receiving at least 15 inches of annual precipitation. It performs particularly well when partnered with legumes. Not very cold hardy, but does well under sufficient snow cover.
Step into the lush world of orchard grass with Nature’s Seed. We bring you the finest, most resilient, and high-yielding orchardgrass seeds, perfect for both livestock and land. Sourced from the best terrains of Europe, our seeds promise a green pasture, abundant hay, and enriched soil.
What Is Orchardgrass?
Orchard grass is a tall-growing, perennial bunch grass that is native to Europe and Asia. It is commonly grown for pasture, hay, and silage and is considered a leading cool-season perennial grass in the United States.
Since its introduction to the US from Western and Central Europe, orchard grass has stood as a testament to resilience and adaptability. As a cool-season perennial bunchgrass, it exhibits a remarkable ability to provide high-quality and palatable feed for all kinds of livestock.
Also renowned for its excellent summer regrowth potential, orchard grass can comfortably rise to heights of up to five feet. While it revels in well-drained soils, it has a unique shade tolerance, outperforming many other species of pasture grasses.
Benefits of an Orchard Grass Pasture
Orchardgrass isn’t just another grass — it is a prime forage grass choice for pastures, cattle forage, and livestock grazing. As with other cool-season grasses, its list of benefits reads long, from offering increased forage and persistence to its adaptability to various soil types, including those with moderately poor drainage.
One of its notable traits is its compatibility with legumes and other grasses (especially red clover). It also enriches hay production and boosts forage yield.
While the early bloom seedling stage might be sensitive to freezing temperatures, it exhibits moderate winter hardiness once past that phase. Orchard grass is heat-tolerant, disease-resistant, and demonstrates exceptional seedling vigor.
Its contribution isn’t limited to agricultural or livestock applications — it’s also an invaluable resource for wildlife habitat, biosolids, and more.
Why Choose Nature’s Seed Orchardgrass?
Our orchardgrass seed stands out for its exceptional quality, quick germination rate, and remarkable adaptability. Grown under Nature’s Seed quality assurance, every seed batch undergoes rigorous quality checks ensuring maximum growth potential.
Here are the top three reasons to get Nature’s Seed orchard grass:
- High-Quality Forage: Our seeds give rise to grass, a favorite among livestock, enriching their health and nutrition.
- Diverse Applications: Perfect for pastures, erosion control, green manure, and as a reliable cover crop.
- Optimal Growth: Expect early spring vigor and robust fall growth due to the plant’s dense root system.
How to Plant Orchard Grass
For a successful pasture, ensure the soil is well-drained with a pH level between 6.0 to 7.5. Plant the seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep during late summer or early fall for optimal results.
Follow these steps for the best results in planting your orchard grass:
- Soil Test: Start with a soil test to determine pH and nutrient levels. Orchard grass prefers a pH between 6.0 and 7.5.
- Seedbed Preparation: Prepare a fine and firm seedbed. Till the soil to eliminate existing vegetation and break up compaction.
- Rate of Seeding: Use 8-12 pounds of seed per acre when planting alone. If mixed with legumes, adjust the rate accordingly.
- Seeding Depth: Plant seeds ¼ to ½ inch deep. Measure as you dig for more controlled seeding depth.
- Timing: It’s best to plant orchard grass from early to mid-spring until early fall.
Remember, with Nature’s Seed, you’re not just planting seeds — you’re sowing the future of your land.
How to Maintain Orchard Grass
For those keen on its cultivation, orchard grass thrives in the transition zone and cool season locales. While it does enjoy the luxury of full sunlight, with a recommended 6+ hours daily, it still displays a commendable tolerance to partial shade.
As a bunchgrass, its growth strategy is unique — it spreads laterally by birthing new shoots, known as tillers, right from its base. This strategy results in a progressively wider bunch. For optimal leaf blades and dense clusters, especially during its maiden year, it’s advisable to maintain the stand height within 4-12 inches.
This grass is not just about growth; it’s about timing too. Exhibiting early maturity, orchard grass springs to life with vigor during the early part of the spring and continues its robust growth into the first harvest in the fall. Those looking to plant it should target the late summer or early fall, ensuring nighttime temperatures consistently hover below 65 degrees.
Follow these tips to help maintain your orchard grass lawn:
Fertilization: Based on soil test results, apply necessary nutrients. Nitrogen can be reduced if orchard grass is grown with nitrogen-fixing legumes.
Mowing: For pasture systems, it’s good to mow or graze before the grass becomes too mature to maintain quality and control weeds.
Pest and Disease Management: Monitor for pests like aphids and diseases like rust. Use appropriate control measures when necessary.
Irrigation: While orchard grass is a relatively drought-tolerant plant, it will benefit from occasional watering during dry periods.
Get Orchardgrass Seed From Nature’s Seed
Whether it’s for grazing, hay, silage, or even green manure, this grass promises to reduce input costs and elevate profits by significantly enhancing animal performance, health, and nutrition. Choosing Orchardgrass for your lawn or pasture is making the choice for excellence in your landscape.
