Tekapo Premium Orchardgrass Seed - 25 Lbs.

Tekapo Premium Orchardgrass stands out for its very low crown and dense, prostrate growth habit, allowing it to be grazed down nearly to ground level—making it particularly well-suited for sheep and horse grazing. Its long, soft leaves are highly palatable and the variety establishes a thick, persistent sward that endures hard, continuous grazing while helping suppress many invasive weeds. This orchardgrass is resilient: tolerant of heat, moderate drought, low fertility and most foliar diseases, including rust. Aggressive tillering helps Tekapo efficiently use soil nutrients, and it responds strongly under irrigation and high fertility to produce abundant forage. With excellent digestibility and solid feed value, Tekapo pairs well with high-yielding grasses to form quality hay or grazing pastures and has outperformed many other orchardgrasses in feed value, palatability, and digestibility. Establishment & Management: Sow in early Autumn or in the Spring into a prepared, firm seedbed. Use a Brillion-type seeder or broadcast and cultipack; a planting depth of 1/8-1/4 inch is recommended. No-till planting should only be attempted when an herbicide has been used to sufficiently kill or suppress the existing stand. Maintain a minimum soil pH of 6.0 for best results. Seeding Rate & Companions: For a pure Tekapo pasture, use a seeding rate of 12 lbs per acre. If mixing with other grasses, seed those at 5-6 lbs per acre. Tekapo can be sown with white clover, alfalfa, tetraploid perennial, and other suitable grazing species. Nutrition & Early Care: Apply Nitrogen at 25-30 units/acre about 4-6 weeks after sowing to encourage tillering without harming the young plants. Once established, manage Tekapo by grazing or cutting and leave a 3-4" residual to maintain stand vigor.