Spring is around the corner, and with not much time left to plant, you have to start thinking about what crop to spring plant. Why not try Moxie teff grass enhanced with Yellow Jacket® seed coating?
Teff (Eragrostis tef) is the perfect grass for late spring seeding in the transition zone, cool season region, or warm season regions, surviving both wet and dry climates. Teff is an ideal crop to fill the summer slump gap when cool season forages run out.
Teff, also known as lovegrass, is a warm season annual bunch type grass with its origins in Ethiopia. Likely domesticated over 6,000 years ago, teff originated as a cereal crop. Teff’s seeds are known for being high in calcium, iron, and protein, and with very little gluten, so it is no wonder that teff is flourishing in today’s health food industry. The first teff cultivators in Ethiopia used left over teff straw from the threshing of the grains as a forage, since teff was considered to be superior to straw from other grain species.
With a large crown and many tillers, teff germplasm has a wide variation of agronomic traits. Today’s teff, including Moxie, has been bred to be a very palatable, fast-growing crop with superb forage quality and high yield. Adapted to low inputs and multiple harvests, teff can be used as either dry hay, silage, or pasture for a broad scope of livestock including beef, dairy, horses, goats, and sheep.
Given its fast growth rate, teff makes for a great emergency forage if other crops fail shortly after spring planting.
Teff is extremely small seeded, at approximately 1.3 million seeds per pound, so great care should be taken during sowing. Things to consider when planting teff:
- Soil temperatures should be at least 65°F
- Seed bed should be very firm to ensure good seed to soil contact
- Seeding depth should be 1/8” to 1/4" deep
- Germination will occur at 4-5 days
Learn more about Moxie Teff here: https://www.barusa.com/professional-forage/products/teff-grass
