The Seed Market
Fact of the Month – Phosphorus chemically bonds very tightly with soil, so phosphorus does not move unless the soil moves. Phosphorus does not leach or volatize like nitrogen does. If phosphorus gets into bodies of water, it’s not a fertilization problem, it’s an erosion control problem. Some examples are new housing construction on the shores of a lake and vacant farm ground with no cover crops.

The grass seed harvest is in full swing across Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Yields are expected to be down 10% – 30% from average depending on the species and specific field conditions. In about two weeks the harvest will begin in Alberta, Manitoba and northern Minnesota.

There is still a lot of turfgrass inventory in OR and WA from the 2022 harvest. Turfgrass seed sales were down this spring across the country due to economic conditions and maybe slightly due to the drought nationwide.
Distributors of our size across the country are watching inventory levels very closely due to the high cost of capital from high interest rates.

I have seen the prices of forage grasses increase in the last few weeks. Annual ryegrass, forage perennial ryegrass, forage tall fescue and clovers have all increased in price in June. It’s a little too early to predict what will happen to turfgrass prices. With a good amount of carryover inventory from the 2022 harvest still sitting in OR and WA along with a 2023 harvest that is expected to be below average, it’s hard to predict the outcome on pricing.

Sincerely,
Bryan Hum

Green Valley Seed
1431 Heck Road
PO Box 43
Columbiana, OH 44408

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