Kentucky 32 Tall Fescue Grass Seed

Kentucky 32 Tall Fescue Grass Seed is not available this season. Check out Hancock’s Forage Fescue Grass Seed, which is an improved variety over Kentucky 32. Kentucky 32 Tall Fescue Grass Seed is certified endophyte-free, which makes it an ideal Fescue species for pasture, show arenas and race tracks, as endophytes are harmful to horses and other livestock. It shows similar resistance to brown patch, pythium and red thread diseases.~~~

Kentucky 32 Tall Fescue Grass Seed is certified endophyte-free, which makes it an ideal Fescue species for pasture, show arenas and race tracks, as endophytes are harmful to horses and other livestock. It shows similar resistance to brown patch, pythium and red thread diseases.

Product Information

• Application or Use: Pasture, Cattle Forage, Livestock Grazing, Erosion Control, Cover Crop, Hay Production
• Germination Time: 14 – 21 days, under optimal conditions
• Growing Locations: Transition Zone & Cool Season
• Height: 8 – 20 inches
• Sunlight Requirements: 4+ hours, full sun for best results
• Advantages: Certified endophyte-free, which makes it an ideal Fescue species for pasture, show arenas and race tracks, as endophytes are harmful to horses and other livestock.
• When to Plant: Recommended planting time is spring and fall when night time temperatures are consistently below 65 degrees.

Product Details

• Endophyte-free
• Heat and drought-tolerant
• High forage and hay yields
• Adapted to a wide range of soils
• Excellent for applications that involve livestock and horses

Product Information

Kentucky 32 Tall Fescue Grass Seed is a certified endophyte-free Fescue species. Tested in Kentucky and Mississippi, Kentucky 32 showed to be as persistent as infected Kentucky 31 tall fescue. Kentucky 32 Tall Fescue is the answer to the problems associated with grazing infected Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue pastures.

This variety is heat and drought-tolerant, offers high forage and hay yields, is certified both endophyte-free and as a green tag seed.

As pasture, forage quantity, digestibility, and palatability are the three main factors in selecting a pasture grass and managing it properly. With proper management, Kentucky 32 Tall Fescue will adequately cover all three. Kentucky 32 is adapted to a wide range of soils, climates, and pasture management systems.

If you are looking for fast establishment, vigorous enough growth to withstand adverse conditions and disease, and a turf that will last for years, then continue reading about Kentucky 32 tall fescue. It features excellent seedling vigor, vigorous growth, high resistance to brown patch, pythium, and red thread diseases, excellent drought tolerance, shade-tolerance, and it out competes weeds, especially poa annua. It is fantastic for low maintenance applications.

Kentucky 32 outgrows problems caused by diseases, insects, shade, weeds, and all those other factors that attack a lawn and shortens turf life. Kentucky 32 has a medium green color, with open crowns that allow for good airflow, which reduces the incidence of turf diseases. The wide leaf blades collect more sunlight, allowing for a suitable turf for dense shade lawns. Deep roots go after soil moisture to allow greater drought tolerance. All of these factors add years to the life of the lawn. Kentucky 32 is tough, and is excellent for parks, playgrounds, sports fields, and those backyards that must withstand active kids and pets.

Kentucky 32 is also excellent for applications that involve livestock and horses. Being endophyte free, Kentucky 32 will work great for show arenas, race tracks, and polo fields where endophyte infected turf may be detrimental to animals.

*Product packaging may appear different than what is pictured.~~~

For the highest success in establishing a new Kentucky 32 pasture, care must be taken to completely kill the old stand, which may consist of weedy grasses, broadleaf weeds, and endophyte-infected grasses. A non-selective herbicide such as glyphosate is ideal. This may be coupled with a summer fallow program, a summer annual forage program, or a combination of methods. It is important to completely kill old grass crowns, and sprout any remnant seed from undesirable plants.

The best time to establish your new Kentucky 32 pasture is in the fall or early spring, depending on soil and moisture conditions. The new stand may be no-till drilled directly into dead sod, depending on timing and conditions. Otherwise, shallow-till the surface, harrow smooth, and drill 25-30 lbs seed/acre. Drill no deeper than one-half inch. If broadcasting the seed, slightly increase your seeding rate and lightly harrow in. Roll lightly to help cover seed, firm the seedbed, and provide a good seed/soil contact. Make sure you have adjusted the pH and applied a good starter fertilizer as recommended by your extension agent or fertilizer dealer.

Do not graze the new pasture until the stand is well established. This normally means spring for a fall planted stand, or early summer for a spring-planted stand. The pasture should be about six in. tall before the first light grazing. Do not graze in frozen or extremely wet conditions, as this will damage the stand and reduce stand life. Control broadleaf weeds with recommended herbicides, and apply fertilizer as indicated by soil test.

Properly established and maintained, a Kentucky 32 tall fescue pasture will give many years of high yields of high quality forage.

Rotational grazing is considered the best system to maintain pasture health and provide the most nutritious forage. Depending on the pasture size and the number of livestock, dividing the pasture into several smaller paddocks, and then intensively grazing each paddock in rotation, will give the pasture time to recover and will keep the feed fresher, with less traffic damage in areas like gates and around water sources.

Low maintenance or low input pastures will require less time and management, but will result in considerably less productivity and pasture persistence, as well as reduced average daily gains. Overgrazing will also shorten stand life and compromise productivity. A well maintained pasture, with proper grazing management, will be persistent and profitable.

For hay, cutting Kentucky 32 in the early boot stage will give the best balance between hay yield and nutritional content. Cutting earlier will reduce yield, and cutting later will reduce the quality of the hay. A properly harvested first cutting will open the way to subsequent cuttings that are larger with very high quality forage. Proper soil management will result in the highest hay yields with higher quality. Consult with your extension agent or fertilizer dealer for local recommendations. Always cut no shorter than three inches to give the plants a better chance for regrowth. Also, always leave three inch stubble going into winter where winter kill may be a factor.

For horse pasture, quantity, quality, and type of pasture for horses is dependent upon the type of operation and nutritional needs. A breeding mare operation will have specific needs different than keeping a pleasure horse. Besides the needs of the horse, the region, climate, and management options must be considered. Low-maintenance and low-input pastures will require less management, but may be considerably less productive with lower quality forage. A well maintained Kentucky 32 tall fescue pasture, with proper fertilization and grazing management, should satisfy the nutritional needs of most horses, regardless of their purpose.

Hay production for horses centers on nutritional quality, palatability, and digestibility. Cutting Kentucky 32 tall fescue at the early boot stage will strike a balance between hay quality and forage yield. For horses, it is even more important for hay to have adequate long fiber, to aid in keeping the digestive system active and healthy. Cutting too early lowers fiber content, and cutting too late will lower nutritional quality and palatability.