What type of grass to plant on landing strip

[WWhunter]

I have been tilling and working up the soil on the 1000 foot strip on my farm and am wondering what would be the best type of grass to plant. Don't need any of the illegal type either!! I've got a bunch of clover seed but have enough of a problem with the deer the way it is. The soil is rather sandy and I am in North central Minnesota. Weeds grow great here. But look like sh!t.
I have asked the local USDA person but haven't gotten a reply.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Keith

 

[StewartB]

I'd ask a local golf course superintendent. Nobody I can think of knows more about grasses and how they fare in local conditions.

SB

 

[Tim]

I live in the northeast, and used what they call conservation mix. It contains creeping Fescue, red Fescue, perennial rye, Kentucky bluegrass, and white clover. I seeded my runway down about this time of year, and by the next summer it filled in great. A little 10-10-10 twice a year for a couple of years it will look like a golf course.

Tim

 

[paibre]

You could also check with your local schools, playground turf is usually a slower growing and more durable grass mix.

Dennis

 

[GirlCubPilot]

We're in South Central New Mexico and we're planning on using Western Wheat to cover our 3200 ft strip (our soil is a sandy / clay mix).
It's drought tolerent and tends to choke out the weeds... and you seed it in the Fall or the Spring after the snows are gone.... cutting it thickens it.
Suggest talking to the local Fish and Wildlife agent for info in your area.

 

[cubscout]

As several others have alluded to, conditions vary greatly, even within a few miles. It helps to know, for example, what natural rainfall is likely to be available, and when it comes. And soil type. Vegetation which might be ideal in one spot might not work a few miles away.

If you have the facility to irrigate, you can do some wonderful things: By way of example, compare the irrigated Idaho strips with the native grass strips, especially late summer/fall.

I had some useful suggestions a few years ago from the local Agricultural Extension Service, and from the Soil Conservation Service, as well as an experienced local farm seed dealer, who specialises in pasture seed.

Unfortunately, some of the better choices for the semi-desert around here (~12" moisture/year, +/- 8") take a long time to germinate, and are pretty expensive. Some years we have to mow, some years not.

You might also talk to other grass strip owners in your area to see what they have, and how they maintain it.

Good luck on this project, glad to see more grass strips out there!

Thanks. Cubscout

 

[marinelubricants]

What kind of grass to plant on a landing strip

K-31 used to be one of the best. It is tuff stuff but not good for grazing animals. They will not eat it. Jerry McCammon

 

[Ruidoso Ron]

We're in South Central New Mexico and we're planning on using Western Wheat to cover our 3200 ft strip (our soil is a sandy / clay mix).
It's drought tolerent and tends to choke out the weeds... and you seed it in the Fall or the Spring after the snows are gone.... cutting it thickens it.
Suggest talking to the local Fish and Wildlife agent for info in your area.

Where are you located GirlCubPilot?

 

[MacNab]

Yeah GirlCubPilot, where are you? You might be having some visitors dropping by to check out your Western Wheat.

 

[WWhunter]

Thanks for the replies

Thanks everyone.
The local Soil conservation guy just got back to me. He has been working with me on my wildlife management programs. Here is his recomendations:
Kentucky Blue -5# per acre
Creeping Red Fescue - 5# per acre
Perennial Rye - 10# per acre
Fertilize with 50# nitrogen/acre and 150# pottash/acre
He also said I could add some Alsike or clover if desired. Won't be doing that though, have to many damned deer getting into everything already.
Have to many idiot city hunters that will only shoot the bucks when we need to thin out the doe population. Can't eat the antlers! But they do look good on the wall.
Thanks again for the advice,
Keith

 

[CptKelly]

Grass seed...

Have you guys priced grass seed lately? Its really expensive. I am preparing a pasture for a landing site in Georgia, and all the quotes for seed are shockingly expensive. Where is the best place to buy bulk seed?

Mike

 

[m wittler]

Im In the desert of central South Dakota and I planted Fairway crested wheat grass. And have had very good luck in the last dry years. The strip is about 14 years old, and during my wheat harvest Im usually tied up and if the stand is getting thin I let the grass head out and go to seed, then I harrow it when I get some precip. The grass even when it is headed out is only about 10 inches tall and no trouble for big tires.

Thanks Matt

 

[Ron B.]

My wife counted six deer, tonight, on my ( not even mowed for the first time yet) 2000 ' strip. I used what we call highway mix, it has a mixture of ,20% tall fescue,20% creeping red fescue,20%timothy, 20% red clover, 16% annual ryegrass, 4% colonial bentgrass, so says the label. With a six count around these parts maybe I chose the wrong mix, but it's growing well! I used 21, 50 lb. bags to seed 2000' X 130' . We had a heavy rain the next day , I think it was the remanence of Katrina. It washed out some seed as the strip is patchy , but I'm sure it will fill in in the spring. I'm lucky it didn't wash out the soil more than it did. We have been having a good amount of rain since seeding and in a month the grass will soon need mowing. I'm located in Nova Scotia, Canada , not far from Maine. Hopefully we will see some of you Supercubber's landing here next year.