Kamprath Seed Mixes

In general turf mixes would be planted at 8-10 pounds of seed per 1000 square feet, it’s usually better to err on high side. Turf applications are usually expressed as square foot area, Seed should be placed no more than ¼” inch deep, and the soil firmed over the seed. Keep the area moist, but not to the point of runoff, until seedlings begin to emerge, in 10-20 days, which is determined by temperatures, These mixes are all made up of cool season grasses so they should be planted in the Fall (Sept-Nov. 1) or very early Spring, (late Feb to March). They will all require summer irrigation to survive. 

Easy Care Fescue blend will be the most summer temperature tolerant of these mixes, Tall fescue is a deep rooting perennial bunch grass, that should be kept about 2-3 inches tall in the summer, and when mowing don’t remove more than 1/3 of the growth.

Nilsen lawn mix will be better adapted to situations with plenty shade. It will withstand direct sunlight but not really hot temperatures. This mix, once well established, will be relatively low maintenance, leave the tops from 3 to 8 inches tall, so it may only require 2-3 mowing’s a year.

Turf Star Lawn Mix is a blend of perennial ryegrasses, so it will work better in areas that are cooler, and partially shaded. Ryegrass is not as tolerant to heat as Tall Fescue and doesn’t have as an extensive root system, so more frequent irrigation may be required in the summer to maintain growth. It can be mowed a little closer to the soil than tall fescue, but still only remove 1/3 of the growth at a time.

In general, irrigated pasture mixes are planted at 25-30 pounds per acre when broadcast seeded, or drilled in.   Seed can be planted ¼ to ½ inch deep and the soil should be firmed over the seed after planting. Irrigation can used to cause emergence, and may become needed, even when planted into soil moisture. My rule of thumb is it takes at least 1” inch of applied water to cause germination and emergence of these seeds in the fall. Fall (Sept to Nov. 1) is the best time to establish these mixes, but they could be planted in the Spring, (Feb. to April 1) with irrigation. These mixes are predominantly made of cool season plants, so some reduced forage production could be experienced in the heat of summer. They will all require irrigation to survive.

Pasture mix, this mix looks like it makes a good over seeding mix to revitalize an irrigated pasture or provide a good Spring forage/hay cutting, but IMO should not be considered a long-lasting pasture.

Nilsen Horse Mix is a complete pasture mix suited to horses. The grasses are types that will rapidly recover from grazing, but are cool season adapted grasses so production and recovery may slow during the summer. The cloves can become dominant in the pasture if close attention is not paid to how much grass forage is removed by the livestock.

Elite Pasture Mix is a complete pasture suitable for sheep, cattle or horses. This pasture mix is made of cool season plants but will survive the summer, it will require irrigation to survive. The grasses will be productive into the summer months, with the tall fescue being well adapted to slightly more heat than the ryegrass or Festulolium. The legumes in this mix will support the grasses through nitrogen fixation and adapt to many different soil types, as well as provide added protein in the forage.

Organic Pasture Mix is a complete pasture blend, made from what varieties of grasses and legumes that are available in certified organic form. Management would be similar to the notes for the Elite Pasture mix and the Horse Pasture mix.

Dryland Pasture Mixes, such as your Nilsen Mountain Mix, are generally planted at 25 to 35 pounds per acre. These mixes are used as erosion control mixes or to improve rangeland pasture forage production. If erosion control is the desired effect, and the seed is being broadcast, then the higher, (or even higher) seeding rate is recommended.

Planting these mixes is best done in the fall, BEFORE rainfall starts for the season. This ensures the soil and air temperatures are better for germination when the rains do start, the planting is making roots to help hold the soil in place for the next rain events, and that the plants can take advantage of all the rainfall that comes to grow and mature seed. Because the clovers in this mix are annuals that regenerate (come back next year) by reseeding. The grasses are dryland adapted perennial grasses. Their survival technique is to go dormant during the dry season, then green up when temperature cool and rain comes back.  This mix does not require summer irrigation, but will be brown and dead looking in the summer.

Seed would best drilled into the soil with a no-till drill for best depth control, but they can be broadcast seeded. Seeding dept is ¼ to ½ “ inch deep and the soil should be firmed over the seed. If broadcast seeding some soil surface roughing will help with establishment before, and after seeding.

A stand of this pasture mix can be grazed all winter, but letting it get well established before grazing will help. Grazing should be entirely removed when the clovers are blooming, usually in March and April, and the stand should be allowed to go completely mature, i.e. become dead-looking, to ensure good reseeding. Situations where the stock won’t be back on that area until October are good candidates. 

The Nilsen State Mix can be used in a few ways. It could be used as a cover crop or as an erosion protection mix. Imo it wouldn’t make a good forage mix, but could be used as such by a grazer, as temporary pasture.

As a cover crop I would recommend planting it at 50 to 75 pounds per acre, broadcast or drill seeded. This rate could also be used for a temporary pasture.

As an Erosion Control Mix I would recommend planting it at 75 to 100 pounds per acre, because erosion mixes are generally applied to slopes and usually not accessible to a seed drill, so the seed is at best only lightly covered.

This mix can be planted at 1/2” to ¾ Inch deep and achieves a good stand. The larger seeds in this mix lends itself to being planted with a seed drill better than to being broadcast on the soil surface and only lightly covered.