Late summer is a great time for establishing cool season forage crops.
Both grasses and legumes can be established at this time. The keys to any good forage seeding are a fine, firm seedbed, addressing soil fertility needs, planting the seed in good contact with the soil, and getting this done in a timely fashion. Late summer and early fall is without a doubt the best time of the year to seed forage grasses. Seeding by early September will help to insure that the grasses will be large enough to withstand the winter cold and the freezing and thawing of the soil. Grasses can be seeded by broadcasting followed by cultipacking, using a Brillion seeder, or by drilling with any drill.