Amanda Grev, Pasture and Forage Specialist
University of Maryland Extension
The time for silage harvest is either here or soon to be here, which means the subsequent planting of winter forages is quickly approaching and now is the time to be thinking ahead on plans for winter forage plantings. With proper fertilization and management, winter forages can be a high yielding forage crop with as much as 17-20% crude protein and 180+ relative forage quality while also providing environmental benefits in the form of nutrient retention and soil erosion control.
Regardless of your choice of species, there are several steps you can take to boost production and achieve maximum success with these winter forages. One of the biggest things you can do to maximize the benefits of winter forages and increase yield potential the following spring is to use an earlier planting date. The ideal time to plant is typically 10 days to two weeks ahead of the recommended wheat for grain planting date for your region. By planting winter forages in this earlier timeframe, the plants have more time to generate tillers during the fall. When it comes to forage production, more tillers equals greater forage yield. Replicated trials in New York have reported 9 to 11 tillers per seed for earlier plantings of triticale compared to 2 to 5 tillers per seed for later plantings. As a result, winter triticale planted around mid-September produced 25-30% greater dry matter yield compared to winter triticale planted in early October. This earlier planting date also resulted in an earlier harvest the following spring, with triticale planted in September being ready to harvest a week earlier than that planted in October.
Planting winter forages earlier also allows you to better capitalize on any remaining nitrogen left in the soil from the previous crop. When manure is applied to corn in the spring, it not only releases nitrate during the growing season but it will continue to release it after corn silage harvest. Earlier-planted winter forages are able to capture this nitrogen and use it to produce more tillers that will increase yield potential the following spring. Research out of Cornell showed that triticale nitrogen uptake averaged 62 pounds of nitrogen per acre for triticale planted before September 20th compared to 19 pounds of nitrogen per acre when planted after September 20th. For every ton of triticale dry matter biomass that was produced in the fall, approximately 70 pounds of nitrogen was taken up. In other words, more dry matter produced in the fall meant more nitrogen was stored and held over until the following spring. The bottom line is by planting on time, a considerable amount of nitrogen can be taken up and stored in the crop that would otherwise likely be lost or leached away.
Other added benefits stemming from additional fall biomass include greater protection of the crown from cold weather due to the additional top growth, as well as greater root growth which can reduce injury potential from winter heaving. And finally, early planting also results in a rapidly growing crop that can better outcompete weeds and will likely lessen the need for herbicides.
If early planting is not feasible due to the corn coming off later or for another reason, planting a winter forage at a later date can still provide economical yields of high quality forage and will still serve to protect the soil from erosion and improve soil health and structure by having living roots in the soil throughout the winter. That being said, if you are planting later, don’t try to make up for lost yield by putting down more seed. Research has shown that there is rarely an advantage to this, even with a later planting date. Triticale planted in New York the third week of October at seeding rates increasing from 100 to 200 pounds of seed per acre showed no significant yield differences the following spring. Instead of spending the money on extra seed, consider spending it on having a 3-way fungicide seed treatment applied to the seed. Field trials have shown a 15% increase in yield for treated seed compared to untreated seed when planted at an earlier or on-time planting date, and a 28% increase in yield for treated seed when planted at a later planting date.
Additionally, although seed planting depth is always a critical factor in forage plantings, as planting dates move later than optimum it becomes more critical that winter forage seeds be planted deep enough. Winter forages need to be planted a minimum of 1.25 inches deep. This deeper planting depth will allow the roots to establish firmly in the soil and resist early spring heaving.
For both early- and late-planted winter forages, a shot of nitrogen in the fall can help stimulate fall tillering without affecting winter hardiness. This can be applied in the form of manure or commercial fertilizer and can have a beneficial effect on yields the following spring. In New York trials, adding and immediately incorporating 4,000 gallons of manure per acre prior to planting increased yields for early-planted winter triticale by 14% and for later-planted winter triticale by 33%. However, manure application at this time can be harder to accomplish as harvest is ongoing and labor is often tied up in chopping and hauling. If a choice must be made, it is more important to get the winter forage in the ground early than it is to delay for the sake of adding manure. Getting the winter forage in the ground on time is more critical than applying manure because it maximizes both fall tillering and the absorption of leftover soil nitrogen. Most corn that has had manure applied will have some leftover nitrogen to support the fall tillering necessary for higher spring yields.
Last but not least, don’t forget to consider variety selection. New forage varieties continue to be developed and released because they offer improvements over existing varieties, and winter forages are no different. Choose a variety that has been tested and has shown superior performance in terms of forage yield and quality, and be sure to select and plant certified, weed-free seed in order to reach maximum potential.
