Bahia grass is one of the main warm season pasture grasses in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world and has long served as a major grass in the cattle growing industry especially of the pampas of South America. Argentine Bahia was introduced in Florida in the early 1940’s to provide pasturage for the early cattle ranches in the mid to southern portions of Florida. At that time Florida received almost daily afternoon rains and had a wetter season than we now enjoy.

The Argentine Bahia grass was readily received in areas of heat, high humidity, and rainfall. The Pensacola Bahia was actually discovered growing in the panhandle district of Pensacola Florida and the emergence of one of the major grasses of the United States was in the making. This grass was found to fare best in the mid to upper areas along the Gulf Coast of Florida where it was drier and cooler. Overtime Bahia grasses have spread throughout the southern coastal regions to Texas and up the northeast coast to the Carolinas.

Bahia is an easily seeded bunching grass and is used in planting permanent pastures. The Bahia forms a thick, dense sod, grows fast under average rainfall, light to medium green in color and can withstand the impact of larger herds of cattle and horses. Pensacola Bahia can withstand heavy foraging and recovers fast. Bahia is resistant to most all diseases and has few insect problems. The Argentine variety is the finer bladed and more the tropical of the bahias. Pensacola is the favorite variety of most of the adapted areas. Pensacola grows farther north and can take the cooler weather better that the Argentine. It can easily be seeded or grown for sod and pastures are seeded as the easiest and cheapest method.

The best forage source of Bahia is the Tifton variety. Bahia is easily managed with low fertility rate and drought resistant qualities in the Pensacola and Tifton varieties. They are all palatable to livestock and are adapted to the turf damage caused by livestock. Additional feed sources may be needed with livestock that needs higher protein levels like dairy herds. Bahia grows this enough to crowd out most of the weeds and mowing unused pastures early in the spring will help to keep seeding weeds down to a minimum. Bahia grasses have great drought tolerance (except Argentine) and put down deep root systems and if it becomes to dry it can go into a dormancy stage until the next good rainy season.

Establishment of the varieties of Bahia are easily seeded by mechanical means with a seed drill, seed broadcaster or even by airplane. The seed germinates according to the variety with the Pensacola taking up to 30 days, depending upon the soil temperature and moisture. Some seeds that don’t germinate can remain in the ground for months until the right conditions occur. Seedlings should be allowed to fully develop and a good root system developed before livestock is turned on the pasture. Smaller amounts of livestock should be pastured at first.  If you have favorable weather (warm) with rain that has been sufficient, the grass will establish faster.

Pasture Fertilization will be determined by the fertility of the soil and can be done by a soil test. Generally Bahia does not require as much fertilizer as the other pasture grasses and if legumes have been grown in the soil there will be less need of as much fertilizer. A general addition of 30 lb. per acre of N, 15 lb. per acre of P and 30 lb. per acre of K would be added in the seeding stage as a starter feed for the fastest seedling growth. The additions of fertilizer on a yearly basis would be to add 60-80 lb. N per acre, 20-50 lb. P per acre and 60-80 lb. of K per acre per year divided into two applications.  (Such as 20-5-20).  Additions of sulfur and minor elements are beneficial.  Liming can offer additional benefits if your soil is acidic.