Tifton 9 Bahia Grass Seed - Coated - Uncertified

Tifton 9 Bahia Grass forms firm and rapid pasture, which is acclaimed for use with horses and other animals. It has proven in tests to produce between 30 to 40 percent more forage per year. This form of the product is grown and harvested at the Hancock Farm & Seed Company.

Product Information

• Application or Use: Pasture, Ground Cover, Livestock Grazing, Cattle Forage, Cover Crop, Ground Cover, Erosion Control, Hay Production
• Germination Time: 21 - 30 days, under optimal conditions
• Growing Locations: Warm Season Zone
• Height: Pasture - 8 - 20 inches
• Sunlight Requirements: 8+ hours, full sun for best results
• Tolerance: Drought tolerant, good frost resistance, and idea choice for heavy grazing.
• When to Plant: Recommended planting time is spring and summer when night time temperatures are consistently 65+ degrees and 3 months prior to first frost.

Product Detail

• Durable pasture grass for horses and cattle
• Fast growing
• Produces more forage
• Hay production
• Palatability

Product Information

Tifton 9 Bahiagrass is considered a very durable pasture grass for horses. Tifton 9 Bahiagrass grows faster than regular Pensacola Bahiagrass. Tifton 9 Bahia has more drought tolerance and more frost resistance than Pensacola Bahiagrass.

Hancock Farm & Seed Company first harvested and processed an 100-acre field of Tifton 9 Bahiagrass during the 2009 season. This field was planted with certified Tifton 9 Bahiagrass during 2003. Today we still continue to harvest our Uncertified Tifton 9 Bahiagrass. It is labeled and sold as Pensacola Bahiagrass for legal reasons.

Tifton 9 Bahiagrass is not recommended for lawns due to fast growth during the summer months.

Tifton-9 is an improved Pensacola Bahiagrass variety that was bred and developed by Dr. Glen Burton, Agricultural Research Service, U.S.D.A., and the Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station. It has several improved characteristics. Tifton-9 produces 30 to 40% more forage per year than the old Pensacola variety from which it was developed.

Tifton-9, as well as other Pensacola types, have more frost and cold tolerance than Argentine or Paraguay 22. Thus, it may produce more growth at the beginning and end of the growing season. Besides producing more forage, Tifton-9 is much more vigorous in the seedling stage, has longer leaves, and is equal to Pensacola in digestibility. The increased seedling vigor should provide for more rapid stand establishment and increased ability to compete with weeds. Grazing information is somewhat limited, but in one study steers made good weight gains on Tifton-9. This indicates that it is palatable and acceptable to cattle.

Tifton 9 Bahia grass is commonly used for pastures and hay production across the southern United States including: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Northeast Texas, and Southwest California.

It's no secret why Tifton 9 Uncertified Bahia Grass Seed is so popular. The answer is "because it works"! Here are a few of our favorite reviews from clients who have planted Tifton 9 Uncertified Bahia Grass Seed:

"So far So good!" exclaims Margaret P. "We planted this for our horse pasture. It is a new pasture with no grass. We planted the seed a little over a week ago, and have little grass sprigs throughout! Very excited to see the end result!"

*Product packaging may appear different than what is pictured.

Broadcast 25-50 lbs. per acre (25 lbs. takes 12 - 24 months to fully sod the pasture). 

Overseeding rates depend on the amount of established or existing grass in the pasture area. Common applications for overseeding are 10 - 25 lbs. per acre.

Land preparation and planting: 
An ideal site on which to plant Tifton 9 would be new ground, or areas where Bahiagrass has never been planted. Next would be fields that have been in row crops, or have been cultivated for several years. These sites should have almost no Bahiagrass plants and relatively low populations of Bahiagrass seed in the soil. This should result in a fairly pure stand of Tifton 9 plants. Old pastures that need to be renovated are a great option for Tifton 9. These may have been planted to Bahiagrass, or have been infested with Bahiagrass through movement of seed by animals from one area to another. The end result is that something needs to be done to eliminate the Bahiagrass plants present, and also reduce the population of seed in the soil. In order to convert an old Bahiagrass pasture to Tifton 9, the following land preparation and planting procedures are suggested:

Plow with a moldboard plow. This will bury much of the surface weed seed too deep to germinate.

Plant an annual forage crop, such as Pearl Millet or Sorghum-Sudangrass, during the warm season, and a small Grain, Ryegrass, or Clover, during the cool season. The growing of annual crops with associated cultivation helps to eliminate any remaining Bahiagrass plants and reduces the population of Bahiagrass seed near the soil surface.

Bahiagrass can be planted from February through July in most areas of Florida. Plantings made from late March through May can be lost due to drought, especially in South Central Florida. Thus it may be wise to avoid planting during this time period. Plant on a clean-tilled seedbed that has been prepared by using a heavy cutting disc, or other suitable tillage tool, plus a finishing disc that leaves a smooth surface free of trash.

If possible, use a cultipacker-type seeder or some other precision seeder in order to place all of the seed at a uniform depth. Seed should be planted at 1/2 to 3/4 inch deep.

Instructions

When choosing to start a new lawn, remove old vegetation by using a de-thatcher, power rake or tiller to kill the existing vegetation. Rake or drag the area to remove debris and dead grass for a clean area. Ensure the soil is leveled and loosened to allow the seed to have good soil contact once spread on a clean seed bed.

If you have an area with heavy weed coverage, we recommend starting fresh by killing and removing the existing vegetation. If you choose to use chemicals, herbicides or fertilizers, you must check with the product's manufacturer prior to planting new seed to ensure the proper waiting period.

When overseeding an existing area, mow your lawn at the lowest setting and bag the clippingsx. Rake or drag any areas that have dead thatch or debris.