For those who seed their own pastures, I have a question, is this safe to do?

[Dune]

I'm NO gardener and I don't even pretend to play one on TV.:no:;) I have a very small paddock that I am very proud of because I was able to grow some Bermuda and Rye grass in for my little filly. Because it is such a small area, though, it is being eaten down and I need to re-seed. *Is this safe to do with the horse in the paddock? In other words, can the seeds be toxic if eaten? Specifically, these are Rye seeds, BTW.* PS I am smart enough to realize this may not be very productive since the filly will be walking over the parts I've re-seeded, but I want to try anyway in order to preserve the pasture for as long as possible. Thanks in advance!:)

[JB]

It will be fine, just know that you may want to seed extra heavily so you get some decent growth, as it's so easy for young shoots to be pulled up roots and all.

Don't do the bermuda now though - it needs warm temps to germinate.

[Painted Horse]

If you rake the seeds into contact with the soil, I doubt there is much chance that the horses can ingest any amount of seeds. So no I don't see a problem from thatr standpoint.

From the stand point of money wasted. I do. What ever seed you put out will probably not get established if you leave the horses in the pasture. as the horses will trample the young starts. Or as they try and get the young grass, they will pull the new grass out by the roots. New grass needs time to get established.

I have thrown grass seed out to over seed areas, especially in the fall when I know I'm pulling the horses off the pasture for the winter and keeping them in my sacrafice area. This gives the grass a few months to get some root established.

[MikeP]

If you rake the seeds into contact with the soil, I doubt there is much chance that the horses can ingest any amount of seeds. So no I don't see a problem from thatr standpoint.

From the stand point of money wasted. I do. What ever seed you put out will probably not get established if you leave the horses in the pasture. as the horses will trample the young starts. Or as they try and get the young grass, they will pull the new grass out by the roots. New grass needs time to get established.

Agree 100% with these two points. Also, depending on your location it may be too late in the year and thus too cold for seeds to sprout and grow. It's too late to plant anywhere north of, say, central Alabama.

[jaimebaker]

I'm NO gardener and I don't even pretend to play one on TV.:no:;) I have a very small paddock that I am very proud of because I was able to grow some Bermuda and Rye grass in for my little filly. Because it is such a small area, though, it is being eaten down and I need to re-seed. *Is this safe to do with the horse in the paddock? In other words, can the seeds be toxic if eaten? Specifically, these are Rye seeds, BTW.* PS I am smart enough to realize this may not be very productive since the filly will be walking over the parts I've re-seeded, but I want to try anyway in order to preserve the pasture for as long as possible. Thanks in advance!:)

IF the seeds are coated they could be a problem. I don't know for a fact, but I know I wouldn't want my horses eating fertilizer. Brands such as Pennkote are coated with fertilizer and I wouldn't want them nibbling on it.


I've always been told Bermuda is a cool season grass. You don't plant it in the spring, you plant it in the fall. But once you get past late August-early September you're a bit too late to plant it right now. Also, not sure what type of rye you are planting. Annual, winter or perennial?

[George Myers]

How small is small? Too small to get it direct drilled I take it?

Is it large enough to create a laneway around the outside and reseed the middle?- then reverse? Or do it in halves? You'll never get grasses to survive in a high traffic area - and, as horses are destructive grazers, your filly will probably eat the leaf before the roots have had a chance to establish and you'll have wasted your money.

If I were you I'd be looking into low sugar, high fibre grasses rather than rye. You can always feed production grasses in the form of good quality meadow hay and that way control how much the horse gets but you don't want horses eating them all the time. A high fibre tussocky grass is resilient and withstands horse grazing and tends to be low sugar / high fibre - so fills them up with fibre not starches.

[George Myers]

Good point about the fertilizer coating - very important to also make sure seed hasn't been treated with a pesticide; the withholding period is usually 6 weeks plus but I certainly wouldn't want my horses exposed to it for at least 6 months.

[Dune]

I'm not trying to grow Bermuda, I know that's on the way out. I'm trying to grow Rye, seeds are not coated (that I know of anyway). Filly seems to be a nibbler, rather than voracious eater like my others and she is getting free choice Bermuda hay so she has plenty to eat. I never fertilized the pasture, shows how much I (don't) know;) and it grew just fine, so I figured I could do the same thing again. Also, it just never gets very cold here and the Grangettos guy told me rye was the ticket during "winter" here. I have a big bag that I bought a few months ago for not very much $$, so for those thinking of my pocketbook, thanks, but it's already paid for. I certainly would not go out and buy more seed now, I'm just wondering if I should try using a bit of what I already have. :yes: Sounds like it wouldn't hurt to try....

[MikeP]

I've always been told Bermuda is a cool season grass. You don't plant it in the spring, you plant it in the fall. But once you get past late August-early September you're a bit too late to plant it right now. Also, not sure what type of rye you are planting. Annual, winter or perennial?

Bermuda grass is a warm season grass, best planted by seed or sprigs in the late spring.

"Growth begins at temperatures above 15°C (59°F) with optimum growth between 24°C to 37°C (75-99°F); in winter the grass becomes dormant and turns brown." Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynodon_dactylon

[Dune]

Bermuda grass is a warm season grass, best planted by seed or sprigs in the late spring.

"Growth begins at temperatures above 15°C (59°F) with optimum growth between 24°C to 37°C (75-99°F); in winter the grass becomes dormant and turns brown." Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynodon_dactylon

Yes, that's true, I just didn't want to totally kill my own thread. ;) And seeing how that's not crucial to my original question, I let that one go. Although, I'm starting to think that maybe I'm not quite the neophyte gardener I thought I was. :p

[SillyMe]

Regular old rye grass seed will be fine. What I have done in the past to reduce the waste from the horses eating the seed is toss the seed out when it is raining. It's kind of fun walking around in the rain throwing seed!

The seed I used did not hurt the horses when they ate it. I kept having to shoo them away from the bag. I finally had to lock them in their stalls to leave me alone...:lol:

[MikeP]

Well then, if you are not too far north, Rye (or even Ryegrass, which is a different thing altogether), will do fine as far as the time of year goes.

However, the point several posters have made about the horses pulling the seedlings up before they can take root is valid. A typical recommendation by university researchers is to remove grazing animals for 60 days after seeding rye. This 60 day period is so that the seedlings can establish a root system.

[Dune]

Regular old rye grass seed will be fine. What I have done in the past to reduce the waste from the horses eating the seed is toss the seed out when it is raining. It's kind of fun walking around in the rain throwing seed!

The seed I used did not hurt the horses when they ate it. I kept having to shoo them away from the bag. I finally had to lock them in their stalls to leave me alone...:lol:

Yes, it's actually supposed to rain here tomorrow, but I'm not holding my breath....we'll see. I figured that, if it does, it would be perfect timing. Also, I was going to do this while she was out of her paddock, I can totally picture her mugging me for the seed bucket. :yes:


Well then, if you are not too far north, Rye (or even Ryegrass, which is a different thing altogether), will do fine as far as the time of year goes.

However, the point several posters have made about the horses pulling the seedlings up before they can take root is valid. A typical recommendation by university researchers is to remove grazing animals for 60 days after seeding rye. This 60 day period is so that the seedlings can establish a root system.


I'm not north at all. ;) I do realized that I may be wasting some time/seed and that it would be ideal to remove her for a period of time but I don't have that luxury, unfortunately. I was able to get it established pretty well by doing that in the first place, though. I'm actually quite surprised it's lasted as long as it has and proud of myself for doing as well as I did. I don't tend to have a green thumb.:no: Thanks everyone!