Hay in a weed field

don t. - 9n180179 · Sep 15, 2012

Hi All.
Long story as short as I can.
1-Last Christmas, let my neighbor use my 2.5 acre field for a parking lot. It was a fair deal for both.
2-Weekend after Christmas, farmer down road moldboard plowed field.
3-Spring time, used wifes Kubota and rear tiller for prep.
4-Boadcasted seed for a grass hay(one of the 2 varieties was fescue, don't recall 2nd). Grass did grow when moist, was looking decent/promising.
5-Summer heat produced 90% weeds in field.
6-Had family health issues, have not cut field since June 30. Most areas in field is over 4 foot tall.

Would like to harvest something off this field for wife critters. It aint enough, but it'll help keep costs down. Not sure what to do. Im thinking I might have to re-seed, which aint a problem, but? Any tips/tricks/things that might work would be appreciated.

Thanks much...don t. ...

Anonymous-0 · Sep 15, 2012

Sorry but if it is all weed I would run a disc over it at least twice. I planted with a Brillion seeder. I planted fescue with red clover and some ladino clover. I get have a nice ground cover from these three and the weeds are few and far between. And this is after 3 years. I feed cattle but my neighbor's horses really like it too!

old · Sep 15, 2012

I learned a long time ago any hay if better then no hay not matter how bad it maybe. But as for what to do to that filed all depends on if there was any grass trying to grow or not. Me I would probably seed it out in a good pasture mix after I had cut it down and let mother nature do what she will do and cross you fingers. I have seen some rel bad fields come back just fine and others that you have to plow them under and start over again

Charles Krammin · Sep 15, 2012

By the sounds of it I would bush hog it down and see what grows yet this fall and get hay somewhere else, however some "critters" are able to pick through the weeds and find whats edible and leave the weeds and then you would have the field clean then, to broadcast some seed and lightly disc it and pack with cultipacker without rutting up established grass.
My emergency CRP hay, went 3 ton/acre, hayed in August 15-29, due to good circumtances. 1st year Alfalfa-grass, Good growth spring moisture, then drougth (No mold, no lodging), then late July rain brought on 2nd growth. Lucked out !!
Charles Krammin SW MI

don t. - 9n180179 · Sep 16, 2012

Farmer who plowed the field stopped by, observed the implements I have on hand, said to bush hog the field, cut again w/my rear discharge finish mower to get it short and spread the cuttings, wait a 2-4 weeks, finish cut again, spread 20# per acre of seed, use spike tooth drag to scuff in seed, pray for moisture. This all depends on 1st snow. Like others on this board(archives), he says to spread seed just before 1st snow if I can.

Thanks much....don t. ...

showcrop · Sep 16, 2012

Spring seedings pretty much always result in a lot of weeds. I have tried discing down heavy weeds with very little success. I would not brush hog as you will be doing a lot of reseeding of weeds and mulching the grass which will hold it back. I would bale it to get the weeds off, then chances are you will have a fair amount of grass come up and thrive much better than the weeds in the cool fall weather. They often call them cool weather grasses, and this time of year they pretty much leap up after cutting.

36 Coupe · Sep 19, 2012

Had the same trouble years ago on a 1 acre strip.Seeded mixed grasses and clover, got a crop of weeds.Plowed them under and planted buck wheat.Next spring grasses came up fine.

Hay in a weed field

don t. - 9n180179

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Anonymous-0

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old

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Charles Krammin

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don t. - 9n180179

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showcrop

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36 Coupe

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