If 30% or more of your pasture is already composed of legumes, you probably have enough to work with already. If you have some, but less than you would like, managing grazing or cutting height can help you boost the amount of legumes you see.
Most of the grasses that we use in our forages systems will grow to higher heights than our legumes. If the canopy above the legumes is too thick, sunlight won’t filter down to the legumes and this will lead to reduced growth. Keeping pasture height managed with consideration of both the grasses and legumes, should allow both to thrive if all other factors (soil texture, pH, fertility, soil moisture) are adequate.
- Are you adding annual or perennial legumes?
Annual legumes like crimson clover, soybean, or cowpea will only persist for that growing season. These legumes typically require more soil preparation and have stricter planting guidelines than perennial legumes, but they pair well with annual grasses and work well in rotation with other annual crops.
Perennial legumes like white and red clover, alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, sericea lespedeza, and perennial peanut will persist for multiple years and have the potential to spread throughout the pasture by seed, stolons, or rhizomes. Perennial legumes are usually good options for adding legumes to an existing perennial grass pasture. Frost seeding is a popular method of establishment. Seeding rates and planting methods will vary depending on which species and variety you chose.
How do I know what legume will work for me?
Species and variety selection is best determined based on your individualized soil tests, pasture maps, and management plans. Variety trials are conducted across the country each year and results are published in unbiased reports that you can access through your local Extension office, agricultural co-op, seed dealer, and often online from your state’s land-grant university(ies). These reports will help you identify which species and varieties fit your pasture, as well as, provide information on appropriate seeding rates and planting conditions, harvesting techniques, and often forage quality analysis.
If in doubt, please reach out. There are free services available to help you make a decision based on a plan customized for your specific goals. County Extension personnel are one of those services and we are happy to help you along the way.
Summary
The benefits of adding legumes to your grazed pastures or hay fields are numerous, but there are important factors to consider before you plant the seed. Each situation is slightly different. Trial and error is the most effective way to learn what works for you, but you can reduce the amount of error you encounter by being fully acquainted with your pastures and developing production goals for your forage and animals.
Source:osu.edu