Firkin Italian Ryegrass

Firkin is excellent choice for short term forage for silage or grazing, and can also be used for green manure/plowdown. Italian ryegrass is an excellent choice for overseed pastures, interseed alfalfa, or as an alfalfa companion at planting.  See agronomic tab for more details.

  • Firkin is a tetraploid, true Italian ryegrass variety:
  • There is no heading in the year of seeding.
  • Rapid Establishment
  • High DM Yield – Out Yields Annual Ryegrass
  • Excellent Disease Resistance
  • More Root Mass than Cereals

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Price range: $14.30 through $68.00


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ITALIAN RYEGRASS

Quick re-growth, early spring development and prolonged fall growth. High quality forage without low-quality stems and seed heads: will not head out in the seeding year unless a hard freeze sets in after seed has germinated. Behaves as an annual in the Upper Midwest. Recognized as excellent rotation crop for plowdown or emergency feed.

 

Best Use:

Best suited as a pasture crop seeded at full rate. When seeded at lower rate, can be used in hay mixtures and as a nurse crop for alfalfa seedings.

Adaptation:

Best on heavier, moisture-holding soils. Keep off of droughty ground.

Management:

Begin grazing at 4″-6″ and stop when the grass is down to 2″-3″.

Planting Date:

March-May, Aug. 1-15 (for late fall grazing).

Seeding:

30-35 lbs/acre alone or 3-4 lbs/acre as alfalfa cover crop.

Suggestions:

Use instead of small grain as cover crop over new alfalfa seedings. Can produce up to half ton more of additional hay in seeding year than a small grain. Seeding heavier than recommended amount may smother alfalfa seeding. Seed early spring onto pasture that has been closely grazed the previous fall to improve yield and quality.

Species/VarietySeeding Rate Drilled (lbs/acre)Seeding Rate Broadcast/Aerial (lbs/acre)Seeding Rate In Mix (lbs/acre)Approx Seeds/lbRecommended Seeding Date (S MN)Seeding Depth (inches)Predicted Hardy Through USDA ZoneLifecyclePotential Total N Fixation (lbs/acre/year)Above Ground Biomass ProductionWeed SuppressionErosion ControlQuick EstablishmentCash Crop InterseedGrazing PotentialProvide Pollinator HabitatDrought ToleranceHeat ToleranceSaturated Soil ToleranceShade Tolerance
Barley, Spring50-10072-12024-4814,300Mar–May, Aug–Sept½ – ¾7Annual-Very GoodVery GoodVery GoodVery GoodExcellentVery GoodPoorGoodGoodGoodFair
Barley, Winter50-10072-12024-488,000-14,000Aug–Sept½ – 16Winter Annual-Very GoodVery GoodExcellentVery GoodVery GoodVery GoodPoorGoodGoodGoodFair
Oat, Spring25-10048-9616-4814,500-18,500Mar–May, Aug–Sept½ – ¾8Annual-ExcellentGoodVery GoodExcellentExcellentExcellentPoorFairFairGoodFair
Rye, Cereal Winter50-15050-15025-7518,000Aug–Nov½ – 1½2-3Winter Annual-ExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellentPoorVery GoodVery GoodVery GoodGood
Ryegrass, Annual15-2025-304-5227,000Mar–May, Aug–Sept¼ – ½6Annual-ExcellentGoodVery GoodVery GoodExcellentExcellentPoorFairFairVery GoodVery Good
Ryegrass, Italian15-2025-304-5227,000Mar–May, Aug–Sept¼ – ½5-6*Winter Annual-ExcellentGoodVery GoodVery GoodExcellentExcellentPoorFairFairVery GoodVery Good
Triticale, Winter30-10060-12015-4015,000Aug–Early Oct½ – 1½4-5*Winter Annual-Very GoodVery GoodExcellentVery GoodExcellentExcellentPoorGoodGoodGoodGood
Wheat, Winter30-7560-9015-4011,000-15,000Aug–Early Oct1 – 25*Winter Annual-Very GoodVery GoodExcellentVery GoodExcellentExcellentPoorGoodGoodGoodGood

Predicted Hardy: ID = Insufficient Data, NFT = Not Frost Tolerant
*Highly variable on winter growing conditions, planting date, snow cover, etc.

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