What are recommended seeding rates for pea/cereal combinations for silage and greenfeed?
In wetter areas of the province (gray, black, and thin black soils) pea plant densities of 7-8 plants per square foot are optimal for both pure stands of peas or cereal-pea blends. The seeding rate for the cereal component of these mixed crops should be about 25-50% of what is normal for the area. In drier areas of the province, cereal seeding rates are usually lower than in wet areas so pea stands of about 4 plants per square foot with a normal cereal seeding rate should work fairly well. An adequate pea seeding rate will be a significant input cost but the pea stand density should not be compromised. Reducing the pea seeding rate usually results in the cereal crop out-competing the peas, producing minimal or non-existent feed quality gains even though the peas that were seeded increased production costs.
