Maintence on hay fields

steve in wi. · Mar 16, 2015

Like the top says I,am looking for what type of maintence I should be doing to my hay fields I get soil test so I do that ,. anybody run a drag across their fields or aerator? I am in se wi so if know the clayy soil I have around here? thanks steve

Mel in SW Iowa · Mar 16, 2015

In the sugar clay hills of SW Iowa, the most productive thing I ever did to an alfalfa field is to disc it 3-4" deep with a tandem disc pulling a harrow behind to smooth and level. It seems to split the crowns and invigorate older thinning alfalfa stands. Done as soon as you can get in the field in the spring.

JOCCO · Mar 16, 2015

Well assuming its been reseeded and brought into good standing. I lime and fertilize mine about every year. After a while they will need to be plowed/reseeded again.

paul · Mar 16, 2015

Follow the soil test goals on lime and nutrients.

Grass hay takes care of itself.

Alfalfa gets thinner and thinner, at so,e point maybe 5 years the stand thins down to where you need to rip it up, leave it rest at lest 3 warm months of no alfalfa growing (adult alfalfa puts toxins in the soil that kills new seedlings) and reseed it to alfalfa. That is a good time to plant corn for a year, use up the free N, and bust up the weed and insect cycle in the ground from the alfalfa. Also get the P worked into the soil, instead of spread over the surface and stratified on top.

Either type of hay might get so full of gopher mounds and critter holes that you want to rough it up and start over, that is how it goes here every 5-10 years.

Pretty much it.

Paul

hd6gtom · Mar 16, 2015

p and k + line and micronutrients will get you where you want to be.

Dick L · Mar 16, 2015

I use an old pull type disc and cultipacker. I was doing it in just the spring but last year I disc it after every cutting. Alfalfa was not doing well but the disking brought it back better than I thought it would. A wheel disc would be to aggressive. I set my Oliver disc at three notches. Almost straight. I have been doing the same to my yard only one notch.

JRSutton · Mar 16, 2015

need more info.

What kind of hay? As others have said - alfalfa, but also timothy dies back in a few years and needs to be re-seeded.

if you're talking a typical orchard grass, etc. mix and you don't care so much about legumes and/or timothy - all I'd do is focus on whatever your soil tests indicate, and don't disturb the soil.

That's where you'll get the biggest bang for your buck.

I don't have to worry about clay too much here so I'm no expert - if I did I'd probably try leaving the stubble a little taller, to try to keep a little more organic material there to compost in after each cutting. Might help over time, but I'm only guessing.

Can you spread manure on it?

Maintence on hay fields

steve in wi.

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Mel in SW Iowa

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JOCCO

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paul

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hd6gtom

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Dick L

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JRSutton

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