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A Plant Diversity Co.

Pot hole Cover

The Short Season Forage Blend

 
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Have unseeded acres due to excess moisture? Consider a blend of cool & warm season plants to sow as a short-season summer forage option. Regrowth.

To learn more about the difference between C4 plants & C3 plants, click here.

 

Warm & Cool Season

plant species in blend

We recommend sowing this blend from early June to mid-July (no later than July 15th) as the warm season species cannot tolerate frost.

Seeding Rate: 25 Ibs/acre SKU: 1000 Ib Tote

Seed Tag: Learn More

Inoculant Required (1/2 rate): Learn More

 

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why choose this blend over monocrop barley?

 

When hot/dry conditions are present, warm-season plant species will accumulate biomass. When cool/wet conditions are present, cool-season plant species will accumulate biomass. Why?

  • Warm Season Plants (C4) evolved in hot/dry environments.

  • Cool Season Plants (C3) evolved in cool/wet environments.

To learn more about the value of C4 plant species when sowing in late spring/early summer, click below.

Grow high-quality biomass in 50-60 days on cropland that was too wet to seed.

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SEEDING OPTIONS:

  1. Sow in excess moisture areas between early June & July 15th.

  2. We do not recommend broadcasting but should be okay if no other option is available. We prefer to maximize seed-to-soil contact.

  3. Sow after a hail storm or any other prevent plant situation.

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HARVEST OPTIONS:

  1. Silage/bale wrap silage

  2. Dry hay

  3. Green manure disc down.

  4. Fall grazing.

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Farmer Testimonial/timeline

 

“Structural and chemical adaptations give C4 grasses (Sorghum Sudan, German Millet) greater growth potential and greater efficiency in use of water, sunlight & nitrogen. They photosynthesize most efficiently when soil and air temperatures are high and are common in warm, sunny regions throughout the world. C4 grasses can use up to 80% of available sunlight, while C3 grasses (Barley) can only take advantage of 15 to 30%.

 

Image: June 15th seeding date. No fertilizer or herbicide was applied.

Image: 60 days after seeding.

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Plant Species in the blend

See below for some general information regarding each plant species in the Pot Hole Cover.

Featured
Sorghum Sudan
Sorghum Sudan

Warm Season Grass

Mycorrhizal Dependent: Yes

Water Use: Low

Comments: Rapid growth in hot & dry conditions. Palatable winter feed source. C4 grass.

German Millet
German Millet

Warm Season Grass

Mycorrhizal Dependent: Yes

Water Use: Low

Comments: Longer growing season than most millets. Extremely vegetative. Waxy leaf surface ideal for winter forage. C4 grass.

Sunflower
Sunflower

Warm Season Broadleaf

Mycorrhizal Dependent: Yes

Water Use: Low

Comments: Flowers attract a large array of beneficial insects. Beneficial at solubilizing minerals in soil profile. (zinc)

Italian Rye Grass
Italian Rye Grass

Cool Season Grass

Mycorrhizal Dependent: Yes

Water Use: Medium

Comments: Highly digestible with vigorous regrowth. Will not over-winter, unlike annual ryegrass. Fibrous root system is great for compaction.

Purple Top Turnip
Purple Top Turnip

Cool Season Broadleaf (Brassica)

Mycorrhizal Dependent: No

Water Use: High

Comments: Highly nutritious brassica (digestibility & protein). Tuber scavenges nitrogen and other nutrients for slow release decomposition the following year.

Flax
Flax

Cool Season Broadleaf (Linum)

Mycorrhizal Dependent: Yes

Water Use: Medium

Comments: The highest mycorrhizal fungi-dependent plant. Having a small percentage in the blend helps promote the AMF network.

Forage Peas
Forage Peas

Cool Season Legume

Mycorrhizal Dependent: Yes

Water Use: Medium

Comments: Forage pea varieties focus on smaller seed size & increased biomass - rather than on grain yield. Rapid growth & establishment.

Daikon Radish
Daikon Radish

Cool Season Broadleaf (Brassica)

Mycorrhizal Dependent: No

Water Use: High

Comments: Highly nutritious brassica (digestibility & protein) with rapid cool-season growth characteristics. Taproot for soil compaction and nutrient scavenging.

Berseem Clover
Berseem Clover

Cool Season Legume

Mycorrhizal Dependent: Yes

Water Use: Low

Comments: Fast establishing annual clover. Non-bloat legume. Little chance of over-wintering.

Hairy Vetch
Hairy Vetch

Cool Season Legume

Mycorrhizal Dependent: Yes

Water Use: Medium

Comments: Highest nitrogen fixation capabilities of legume species. Sunlight Opportunist. High protein feed source. Regrowth

Forage Oats
Forage Oats

Plant Type: Cool Season Grass

Mycorrhizal Dependent: Yes

Water Use: Medium

Why In The Blend? Forage Oats are a great nutrient scavenger due to their dense fibrous root system. One of the most mycorrhizal-dependent cereals. Large leaf surface gives forage oats the upper hand over regular oats when maximizing sunlight capture. (Photosynthesis)

*Click on the image to learn more about this plant species.

 

REMEMBER TO APPLY

OFCAF FUnding

Remember to apply for the OFCAF funding, where you may be eligible to recieve $35.00/acre (max. $75,000) for adopting multispecies cover crops on your operation. Click here for help getting the process/application started.

Funding will differ across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, & Alberta.

 
 
 
 

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

Contact Us

Feel free to contact a member of Our Team to discuss where this blend might fit your operation.