Grass Seed

[mackes]

Anyone know a place to by grass seeds in Korat area. Some thread mention about farmers in Non Sung making grass seeds. Any contacts?

[Surin steve]

Should be really easy to find most of the animal feed & farm supply shops sell grass seed by the kilo depends what you want the grass for animal feed or a grass lawn the lawn turf kind is normally sold per sq mt

[Hunter Maxwell]

Should be really easy to find most of the animal feed & farm supply shops sell grass seed by the kilo depends what you want the grass for animal feed or a grass lawn the lawn turf kind is normally sold per sq mt

By the contrary, grass seeds of any kind are almost unavailable currently in Thailand. Grass seeds for forages (animal feed) may be available at selected outlets but not at animal feed and farm supply shops. It one did come across some of these seeds at these shops (and I doubt it), they would probably be dead (zero germination). As for lawn grass seeds, impossible to buy in Korat. And if by chance you found some lawn grass seed in Bangkok, it too would be dead and of the variety not suitable at all for growing in Thailand..

[Surin steve]

Guinea grass ordinary 120 bt per kilo

Guinea purple giant 130 bt per kilo

Jumbo 150 bt per kilo

Rosie and Hamata 100 bt per kilo

All on sale Lam Duan animal feed shop Surin yesterday sack fulls of the stuff

[Michael Hare]

Good afternoon Surin Steve,

I was contacted by a colleague this morning who said I should respond to your interesting points.

I introduced myself on "Ya atratum" but briefly I run an international forage seed business from the Faculty of Agriculture Ubon Ratchathani University. I have been working with and conducting research on forage seeds for 40 years.

I was interested to read that in Surin seed is selling in a local shop being the following:

Guinea grass ordinary 120 bt per kilo

This may be either common roadside guinea (rubbish) or purple guinea (ok). But last year there was an extreme shortfall in purple guinea supply due to flooding and wet weather. Some merchants got wind of this and went to my contract farmers in Mukdahan and purchased unclean seed directly from the field. Really annoyed me. The problem is that this unclean seed has very low germination. Also guinea seed will die after storage in ordinary rooms within 6 months. It is now August and I would say the seed for sale in Surin is dead or close to it. Four years ago the Dept of Livestock Development produced nearly 800,000 kg of purple guinea seed in Thailand, most of which they couldn't sell. This seed has been drifting on to the market ever since. Pity the farmers that buy it.

Guinea purple giant 130 bt per kilo

This is probably Mombasa guinea, a cultivar introduced by me 3 years ago. We export to South America. Again, how this seed is for sale in Surin surprises me. It too, like purple, will probably be dead by now. We keep all our forage seeds in a room at 40C and 50% Relative humidity where they will survive for 3-4 years without any damage to germination. But usually all our seeds are sold with 6 months of harvest due to a world-wide storage.

Jumbo 150 bt per kilo

Jumbo is a forage sorghum produced by commercial seed companies like Pacific seeds in Thailand. It is an annual. No problem there.

Rosie and Hamata 100 bt per kilo

Rosie is probably Ruzi grass. Inferior to our Mulato II because of poor drought tolerance.

I first started commercial seed production of Hamata stylo in Thailand in 1976. A good roadside legume but not as productive as our Ubon stylo.

All on sale Lam Duan animal feed shop Surin yesterday sack fulls of the stuff

Sacks of the stuff depresses me. Only good to fed to chickens now because of low germination.

I must say I have thoroughly enjoyed reading some of the posts today.

Regards,

Michael Hare

[loong]

Hello Michael, hope that you will stick around as it seems that you know your stuff.

Not quite on topic, but I feel relevant to your above post.....

I have found it extremely frustrating at times, buying new packets of seed and 0% germination. Fair enough if you keep a long time after opening, but really not on with a brand new packet.

I have found that the canned seeds are usually more reliable, but don't always want the larger quantities when just trying something out.

Is your area of expertese restricted to grasses and their seeds?

[Michael Hare]

Hello Michael, hope that you will stick around as it seems that you know your stuff.

Not quite on topic, but I feel relevant to your above post.....

I have found it extremely frustrating at times, buying new packets of seed and 0% germination. Fair enough if you keep a long time after opening, but really not on with a brand new packet.

I have found that the canned seeds are usually more reliable, but don't always want the larger quantities when just trying something out.

Is your area of expertese restricted to grasses and their seeds?

Hello Loong,

You caught me this evening, as I seemed to have received quite a few PM messages.

Yes, I can comment on other seeds as well. I presume you are asking about either vegetable or flower seeds, Probably the former.

Thailand is a hot and humid country. Seeds of many vegetables grown in Thailand (not all) are produced in temperate countries like NZ and Australia and then brought back to Thailand to be grown as fresh vegetables. This is because seed production of these vegetables is done more economically in these places. But the seeds must be put into sealed, vacuum-packed packets or into sealed vacuum packed cans to guard against high temperatures and high humidity destroying these seeds. I don't know if an expiry date is written on these packets or cans as I never buy these seeds, Please check.

I doubt if the local merchants selling these seeds really care about seed germination and whether or not the seed is old.

Buyer be aware.

Not much more advice I can give you on that except to say there are "a lot of crooks in the seed business".

I do know that the flower and vegetable seed business is a multi, multi million dollar industry for Thailand. Just huge.

That is where CP started from.

Regards,

Michael Hare

[Surin steve]

Hello Michael

You sure know your stuff I agree with most of the things you posted exept the fact about the grass's being dead I've used it without problems for near on 12 years now

Up unlill this year I've grown grass on my 50 rai for my sheep farm I normally put in 5 rai of jumbo ( elephant) grass for my first crop at the start of the rains I get 3 cuts off this then usually let the sheep on it to graze put the remains

I then put in my main crops 20 rai each of Guinea and a Rosie hamat mix

The guinea I sow harvest and replant 50 cm apart this way I get a good evenly spaced crop that's easy to cut I can normally carry my Guinea crop through the dry season with monthly watering and get 3 years of use before replanting so my 20 rai plot is split into 3 on a rotation

My Rosie and Hamata plot 20 rai I sow every year even with watering I can't seem to get it growing back the following year with any where near the quality of the first year this grass I cut half and make silage out of the rest

I also have a 5 rai plot of low land where I've planted hamatam again I'm going on local names this grass likes the marshy type of conditions and has come back every year now for the last 6 years I use it as a stand by becouse I don't think it's as good as the rest the sheep will eat it in the pen but avoid it if I graze them on it

There was a missunderstanding ( my fault) about the "sack " the Guinea and Hamata seeds are sold in 5 kilo sealed bags and the jumbo in 2 kilo bags the bags where kept in a large sack

The Rosie seed though was loose

I hope this clears thing up

[Michael Hare]

Hello Michael

You sure know your stuff I agree with most of the things you posted exept the fact about the grass's being dead I've used it without problems for near on 12 years now

Up unlill this year I've grown grass on my 50 rai for my sheep farm I normally put in 5 rai of jumbo ( elephant) grass for my first crop at the start of the rains I get 3 cuts off this then usually let the sheep on it to graze put the remains

I then put in my main crops 20 rai each of Guinea and a Rosie hamat mix

The guinea I sow harvest and replant 50 cm apart this way I get a good evenly spaced crop that's easy to cut I can normally carry my Guinea crop through the dry season with monthly watering and get 3 years of use before replanting so my 20 rai plot is split into 3 on a rotation

My Rosie and Hamata plot 20 rai I sow every year even with watering I can't seem to get it growing back the following year with any where near the quality of the first year this grass I cut half and make silage out of the rest

I also have a 5 rai plot of low land where I've planted hamatam again I'm going on local names this grass likes the marshy type of conditions and has come back every year now for the last 6 years I use it as a stand by becouse I don't think it's as good as the rest the sheep will eat it in the pen but avoid it if I graze them on it

There was a missunderstanding ( my fault) about the "sack " the Guinea and Hamata seeds are sold in 5 kilo sealed bags and the jumbo in 2 kilo bags the bags where kept in a large sack

The Rosie seed though was loose

I hope this clears thing up

Good evening Surin Steve,

I am pleased to know that the forage seeds in Surin are at less packed in plastic-sealed bags. This will prolong the life of the seed for a few months. You obviously have had considerable success.

What concerns me though is the short life of your perennial pastures. With good management, these pastures should last for 10 years or more.

Rosie must be ruzi grass. This brachiaria species disappeared years ago from most tropical countries because of its lack of persistence and low drought tolerance. Thailand is the only country continuing its production because ruzi grass seed is easy to harvest and therefore relatively cheap.

I would like you to try our superior hybrid brachiaria, Mulato II, which is a three way cross producing a high quality forage with extremely good drought tolerance. And then sow it with our perennial Ubon stylo legume and you will be presented with wonderful dry season pasture that in many places does not even require dry season irrigation.

Our Thai website is at http://info.agri.ubu.ac.th/~ubuforage/stylo

Hamata stylo is a short-lived biennial species that extends its life by seeding freely in the Jan to March period. In the mid 1970s on a World Bank Livestock Project, I promoted Hamata stylo to be oversown along roadsides throughout northeast Thailand where cattle and buffalo grazed the “long acre”. To this day, one can see Hamata stylo along roadsides but not being grazed. The buffalo have gone and locals in many villages keep their livestock in yards. So much for development!

I read that you use Jumbo sorghum (Sorghum bicolor x Sorghum sudanense) which is a Sorghum x sudan grass hybrid sold by Pacific Seeds. There are two cultivars in Thailand namely Jumbo and Sweet Jumbo. Be careful not to graze the young regrowth which can cause prussic acid poisoning. Jumbo is not elephant grass. Elephant grass is napier grass which is a popular grass for dairy farmers in Thailand. The best one currently is hybrid napier grass. All napier (elephant grasses) can only be planted by stems. They produce no viable seed.

http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Pennisetum_purpureum.htm

In order to maintain perennial pastures for at least 10 years, I would strongly suggest you try a mixed Mulato II x Ubon stylo pasture. You will be as impressed as Chokchai Dairy Farms are.

The species you use for swampy areas must be Paspalum atratum which we call Ubon paspalum as a common name. Keep it short and leafy and it will be there for your sheep to nibble at in the dry season.

So Steve you are sheep farmer. I am suddenly home-sick for NZ. What do you do with your sheep? Sell to a local Indian community? Do you shear your sheep to keep them cool and prevent dags developing around their backsides or do you just let the wool fall off? I remember in 1975 being called up to shear the 20 head flock of sheep at Khon Kaen University Zoo. What a boney lot they were and with blunt hand shears it took me a few hours to cut the mangy wool of their backs. Still, after shearing they thrived.

Regards,

Michael Hare

[Surin steve]

Hi Michael

Thanks for the advice I wish I could have known you 10 years ago you probably could have saved me money

Unfortunately I have had to sell off all my sheep (last feb) I got up to over 300 head at one time all bred from a original 33 bought it pak Chong district Korat,I used to sell a couple every month locally to expats but my main Market was a guy from Chaiapum who would come down on demand and buy live weight,he would take them down south Thailand way

I was doing really well but had to stop because of the change in behaviour in my village I used to range the sheep in the paddy fields during the dry season which was of benefit to all free fertiliser for the owners and free grazing for me unfortunately cassava became popular almost overnight so all the Thais started growing it as a catch crop after there rice harvest so nowhere to graze I was forced to sell which was a shame as it's the only thing I've really made money on in Thailand mainly I think because they average Thai dos'nt know the first thing about sheep so can't flood the Market

So anyway thanks again for your interest I am looking to start up again in the sheep buisness if I can find a new location a farm near a national park maybe if I can get permission to graze my stock in the dry season I was looking at a location in Loi Provence but nothing sorted as yet

[RakTamachatFarm]

Hello, Sorry I don't have any answers for you, but I have the same question as you, and just wondering if you found any source for grass seed? I was thinking of going to the Korat Ag university, as they have a huge cattle section.

cheers.

[Michael Hare]

Hello, Sorry I don't have any answers for you, but I have the same question as you, and just wondering if you found any source for grass seed? I was thinking of going to the Korat Ag university, as they have a huge cattle section.

cheers.

The Korat Agr University (I presume Suranaree University) will not have any grass seed for pastures. You can buy all your pasture seeds from Ubon Forage Seeds in Ubon. All our seeds are kept in controlled temperature and humidity storage to prevent germination decline. If you can name what seed you want, we can post the seed to your farm.

[farangme]

Any idea if its possible to buy Malaysian lawn grass seed in Udon Thani area? Want to fill in some patchy areas without resodding.

Sent from my PC36100 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Michael Hare]

No Malaysia grass seed is sold in Thailand. From time to time some seed has been produced in Queensland, Australia but because of low seed yields it is very expensive.

In Thailand, one can only buy Malaysia turfs sold by the sq m. Prices vary from 30 to 60 baht/sq m. But be careful when buying, as often the "Malaysia" grass is just a weedy local type which does not become dense, hence a sparse lawn cover develops. The true Malaysia grass (Broadleaf carpet grass) forms a dense lush dark green cover.

[farangme]

No Malaysia grass seed is sold in Thailand. From time to time some seed has been produced in Queensland, Australia but because of low seed yields it is very expensive.

In Thailand, one can only buy Malaysia turfs sold by the sq m. Prices vary from 30 to 60 baht/sq m. But be careful when buying, as often the "Malaysia" grass is just a weedy local type which does not become dense, hence a sparse lawn cover develops. The true Malaysia grass (Broadleaf carpet grass) forms a dense lush dark green cover.

Any easy way to tell the difference when examining the sod before purchase?

Sent from my PC36100 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Michael Hare]

When buying turfs examine the turfs closely. If the grass is dense and leafy with broad green leaves, then it is the real thing. If, however, it is stringy with lots of stolons (runners) and has narrow leaves, then it is probably the local village ecotype.

http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Axonopus_compressus.htm

In Thailand, Malaysia grass is found in most villages but it is usually this type.

http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Axonopus_fissifolius.htm

or this type

http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/Axonopus_fissifolius.htm

[mackes]

I tried out with turfs and it actually worked out pretty well so I stay with that. I found a distributor on the south side of the large road between korat and Sung Noen. There are a lot of gardener and garden equipment but this one is only selling turfs, really good ones. Price appx. 30 Bath/meter.

Prepare the land carefully, I used a lot of water before setting the turfs (nearly mud ground) and then stomp down the roots properly so they got a grip in the new ground. Continue with much water a couple of days and the result will be amazing, you don't see the squares after a week or so.