Too late for oats?

Negligence · May 18, 2011

We haven't really been able to get in and work the fields, so I'm wondering if it's too late to plant oats as a cover crop for a new alfalfa/timothy stand. I'd be seeding at 1-2 bu/ac.

I'm in Eastern Ontario.

paul · May 18, 2011

Well, never to late as a cover; but what do you want to do with it? Mow it as hay, or are you gonna try to combine it?

Probably low yeild, light test weight grain, as oats does not like hot days as it grows - the later you plant the more likely it gets too hot for it.

But at 1-2 bu, you're not looking for oats production, so don't see where it will be a problem.

--->Paul

Negligence · May 18, 2011

Yeah, I will probably make a bit of oat hay out of it. Simplest/cheapest route.

I've heard of straight-seeding alfalfa/grass without a cover crop, but I'm not sure how good that would work. The fields have been sprayed in the last two years and there's no weeds anywhere.

paul · May 18, 2011

Folks used to do that here for a spell, but the weeds and the soil washing in a heavy rain would catch you many times....

Now they've gone to planting alfalfa in fall without a nurse crop, when we get some timely rains but not so heavy most of the time, and the weed pressure is much less in the fall. Plant after oats, wheat, or peas around here - southern MN. Plant it in early August, first frost is often around Oct 1st.

--->Paul

LMD · May 18, 2011

I'm in western ny and plan to do the same thing when we get some decent weather to do so. If your just taking them for hay I wouldn't worry too much about it. I know guys that have planted them into June for hay with no problems. Hardest part is getting them to dry out once you cut them.

Negligence · May 18, 2011

Neighbor suggested I plant a bushel and just leave it on, don't take any cuttings off. By next year the oats and straw will largely be gone, and anything that's left will just get mixed in with first cutting.

Is there any merit to this? I can't imagine there being a significant growth by last August to spend the time/money to get a bit of oat hay. I guess it will be a wait-and-see game depending on the weather this summer.

paul · May 18, 2011

'Here' I'd think the weeds would swamp that plan or the oats would be a hinderance to the alfalfa, you'd rather get the cutting off of it and get a clean field?

--->Paul

Negligence · May 19, 2011

That was my plan and I think I'll stick with it. Take a late cutting to clean up the weeds. Thanks for the input guys.

sammydwm · May 19, 2011

The fields have been sprayed in the last two years and there's no weeds anywhere.

Famous last words.......

LMD · May 19, 2011

I'd think that 1 bushel would be a waste. Not quite enough to drown out weeds. I have been planting 3 bushels to the acre with good luck so far

Anonymous-0 · May 20, 2011

I have put 1.5bu (seeding rate for st. oats is 3 bu/acre) with a new seeding then cut it and round baled it when the oats headed out, makes good stock cow feed, sometimes I have gotten a 2nd cutting the first year

Too late for oats?

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