letting hay rot in field, different angle

Kickinbull · Aug 11, 2015

I have been wondering about a field that we took first off and second is a lot of weeds. This is grass. The owner put a little lime on late this spring, but nothing else. A few years ago they sprinkled N. For the good of the ground I wonder if cutting and let it rot wouldn't be the best option? I mow,rake and roll this field for them and I get the use of other fields on thier farm.

newhollandnut · Aug 11, 2015

I really don't know if it works or not but after our last cut we alway cut it one more time with the disk mowers and let it lay. It should put n back in the ground don't really know how much or if it's worth it but it looks nicer when done. Bad thing about a lot of weeds is the seed is just going to keep going back on the ground. Not sure what kind of hay you have but might consider late application of crossbow or 2 4d or a weed wiper

Kickinbull · Aug 12, 2015

Like I said my part is to mow rake and bale. As far as spraying, I don't think they are going to spend any more money. They have been talking to local BTO to rent the land for crops and use the money to buy their hay.

JRSutton · Aug 12, 2015

I'd say as long as you use a rotary cutter on it to chop it up finely. Otherwise you'll just have patches of "mulch" that will only hurt the underlying grasses.

Nutritionally - it's certainly not bad for the ground, a little extra organic matter left on it is always good. But I also don't think it'll be all that good either. In other words, if you did that for just half the field, I don't think you'd notice a difference between the two halves next year.

So - given the two choices - a slight advantage to leaving it.

But if you're using the field for hay- that advantage is insignificant. You've got to do a soil test. A little lime in the spring is probably a good thing if you're east of the mississippi -but it also may not be nearly enough. And N spread a couple years ago isn't even a factor today - means nothing.

letting hay rot in field, different angle

Kickinbull

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newhollandnut

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Kickinbull

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JRSutton

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