Planting grass in roadways

Trying to figure out something that can be planted on/along narrow roadways (30 ft. wide) in wooded areas....that will stand up to heavy grazing pressure, and still be relatively nutritious for animals (namely Axis, Blackbuck, and Red Deer). I would prefer not to have to really disk these areas, but instead use a heavy harrow or rake.

What kinds of grasses and/or blends can you guys think of that would be suitable for this? Bermuda?? Buffalo grass?? Rye?? Wheat??

Axis love little bluestem. Try a mix of bluestem subspecies and some buffalo

I would use giant bermuda or buffalo grass but you are going to need to break up the top a bit. Giant will take grazing pressure but not had the root system that buffalo grass will have. Not sure how the harrow or rake will work if you have lots of stumps or stobs. Turner Seed Co has some of the better buffalo grass seed that has done well when planting for yards and such for me. Douglas King Seed in San Antonio has both seeds also. I would not blend in ryegrass this first year due to it's longer growing season. It tends to shade out spring or improved grasses till it matures and makes seed.

Axis will eat Klein better than the bluestems. But Klein and bluestems does not take the grazing pressure very well. Gordo Bluestem does well in the Colorado County area. Most bluestems will get to tall and shade out the buffalo I am afraid also. The problem with taller bunch grass is they get very tall with lots of rain and then you have to drive thru it and that seed is tough on radiators. The Giant Bermuda and Buffalo will stay shorter and provide better grazing long run.

Good info STX....thank you.

And just to clarify....there won't be any stumps or stobs in the roadways. We plan to have a dozer clear all the roadways 30 ft. wide and also utilize a root-rake to get rid of as much of the Yaupon roots/stumps as possible. The roads will then be "turtle backed" with a slight crown and shallow ditches.

Need to get the grass in there asap if its around here...any ground that hasnt been unturned or seen the sun in a while will be turning into goat weed. Would be hard for me not to want to disc it but if your draggin right after the dozer goes through it should be fine...if you got enough sunlight gettin in id go with giant burmuda

thats a problem alright. ''/

rye does great from late Sept to may and will grow in gravel etc., Bermuda seed is very expensive but Bermuda is very traffic tolerant

All bermudas are very traffic tolerant because they have rhizomes (underground runners) and stolons (above ground runners) that are both capable of producing sprouts especially when the stems are grazed or damaged. An amazing plant with excellent survival skills. The root system will store carbs in the fall for survival in the winter. You will notice bermuda is the first plant to brown out with the slightest frost, early dormancy is another survival skill for colder weather. Studies years ago at TAMU found that the root system greatly diminished late winter and early fall while maintaining survival. You do not want to push an early flush of green in the spring as it will be at the expense of a fragile root system. Now....if the darn plat was only shade tolerant! You may have a very difficult time establishing bermuda in a wooded area. Hopefully your roads are open enough to receive more than 70% direct sunlight. Let us know how this turns out.