TSC "Pasture Seed"

[dcs2004]

- Product Info -
Manufacturer: Ferry-Morse Seed Company; Fulton, KY
Product Name: Pasture Seed
Product Type/Product purpose: grass seed
Price and Purchase info: $92ish per 50lb bag at TSC

- Product Description -
Pros: Has a mix of different grasses: 24.95% Timothy, 23.66% Orchardgrass, 21.45% perennial Ryegrass, 18.12% annual Ryegrass, 4.98% White Clover, 4.98% Red Clover, 1.86% other... Guaranteed endocephoylte (you know what I mean!) free. Described as fast-growing, drought-resistant, tolerant of traffic and close-grazing. Sounded perfect for our pasture puffs!

Cons: It took the entire 50lb bag to seed one of my 1.75 acre pastures throughly, and I have at least one more to do!

Would you recommend this to a friend?: Probably, the concept is good, but if it works is something entirely different. I guess we'll see!

Other comments: I really hope this works! A gentlemen in our area recommended it to use, he has beautiful pastures, several hundred acres of them. He mixes his seeds himself, but for those of us with a little less dirt, the mix is cheaper and easier than all of that mixing. Maybe in a week or two we'll have a field of grasses!

Overall Product rating: (out of 10) Waiting for the grass to grow, literally!
Reviewed by: dcs2004

I plan to add pictures over time, similar to the Amplify review, that show the pasture over the next few weeks. Picture Day One should arrive shortly!

[Bandit]

We also used the tractor supply mix, but we are over seeding and getting specific bare spots so it sounds like we are using less than you per acre. Ours did about 3 acres this way.

Also, it sounds like the pasture mix you get depends on the area you are in. Ours contains the following:
36.72% Potomac Orchardgrass, 19.86 Fawn Tall Fescue, 16.70% Abundant Tetraploid Annual Ryegrass, 14.41% Smooth Brome, 5.00 % Vernal Alfalfa, 4.98% Medium Red Clover, etc.

[dcs2004]

Interesting. The salesman at TSC eluded to the fact that there may be different mixes for various areas. If I remember correctly, the mixes are specifically tailored to the East Coast, the Southeast, the Midwest, the West, and the Pacific Northwest. He also mentioned a Gulf mix, but I think that was something different.

Bandit- Have you used this mix before?

[Bandit]

Nope, this is my first time and I just put it down yesterday.

[Tango]

We planted the tsc grass a month ago. The grass is coming up slowly even with lots of rain. The horses could be eating it down as fast as it is trying to grow. We seeded about an 1/2 acre used a whole bag were talking about seeding again. There was no grass at all were we seeded. I think we are going to lime the next time we seed to see if this helps.

[Bandit]

My normal pasture grass that normally shoots up is growing in slow right now as well - even my field that is rye & that stuff is usually knee high before you know it. We limed the rye field hoping it would help about a week ago. Need the grass to start growing soon - we are almost out of hay.

[Bandit]

Well here is my update on the TSC seed. I won't buy it again. Maybe in more optimal conditions it would come in good, but I never saw any improvements after overseeding with it. In fact, as of 3 weeks ago, the barespots were still bare.

So I bought some good ole Kentcuky 31 Fescue and seeded one of the bare areas with that. We already have really nice cover in that area. Since I only have geldings, I think from now on I will just use the Fescue.

[taelesean]

Carefull with the Timothy...we have it all over our yard. I suppose it's great for horses, but it's sure ugly as sin as a lawn and it kills the lawn tractor to mow the stuff.

[Bandit]

Yard? What yard? Its either fenced in or is part of the orchard/garden/strawberry patch. LOL. I gave up on a yard.

[walkerfarms]

A little information on lime. Lime is used to maintain a proper ph which allows the crop you are growing to fully utilize the fertilizer. You won't see a big difference anytime soon after applying lime. It is best to pull a soil sample,have it analyzed and keep your ph at a proper level to maximize productivity.

[redboy]

When we planted our pastures, I called the local extension agency out and had them do a soil sample, which, at that time was free. I told her what I was hoping to achieve with my pastures (3 season, maybe hay too), and based on my soil sample she recommended ladino clover(white) and orchard grass,and as well, gave me the ratios for planting it..., so many lbs per acre.
She told me to stay away from the already mixed seed pasture mixes because she felt that you would be wasting your money, in that, whats in it may not grow in your fields.
I have been very satisfied with my pastures and the advice I was given.., it grew tremendously and has held up very well even during drought conditions, for going on 4 years now.
If you have access to this service, take advantage of it. They certainly steered me in the right direction. Hope it turns out, RB

[ToveroMom]

Still free here too for the Extension office to run soil tests.

[Bandit]

Thanks - I will have to check with them. I do like how the fescue is coming in and I really shouldn't be surprised as it is a very common grass around here so should do well. But like I said, I won't waste my money on the mix ever again.

[Slim Pikkens]

This year I mixed 2 lb timothy with 1 lb lawn mix of ryegrass, kentucky blue and another, I think fescue. I hand sprinkle this on about 3 acres just to overseed. I use my riding mower pulling a single set of harrows which rakes some of the seed in. My horses remain off this area for several weeks. If they are put on two soon the roots haven't had a chance to establish and the grasses are soon pulled out. This year I plan on sectioning off an area and not allowing them on until early fall as it will be heavily overseeded.

[2manypets]

we disced up our top 2 pastures a couple of years ago and seeded it with horse pasture mixed seed. due to rain, however, most of it has wound up in the arena and in our dog pens! it did grow well, though, once it settled.

maybe next time we should cover the seeded areas with old straw to try to hold the seed in place.

[stormy]

We used the TSC pasture seed mix here in Michigan and I wouldnt buy it again.
We did have the soil tested out there and had the proper amount of lime brought in.
Oh some grass grew(not very good) but ALOT of the small white clover. Some horses are very allergic to the stuff. I had to call 4 different vets and then called and talked with an equine specialist at MSU to find this out. Its was the small white clover making my horses sick
She told me some horses dont have a reaction but some do.
Now my question is why on earth would that seed even be used if there is a possibility of making some horses so sick? It was horse pasture mix for heavens sake
I couldnt put 2 of my horses out to pasture and had to hay feed them all year

[horseloverinVA]

Unlike most of the others I had good luck with the TSC mix. We planted it last fall in September, this is what it looks like now. It's knee high on me in 3 of my 4 pastures, and the 4 horses have been grazing on it all winter. In this pic they have been on this pasture for 2 months. (Don't mind my dirty scrub filly...she's decided she wants to chestnut not white)