Rotating hay field ???????

xcsp · Apr 16, 2015

Hi
I am Rotating half of my hay field this spring , My AG store says I have to plant ,something in there for this year he suggested
soy beans, corn,oats , it is a small hayfield 3 acres I am doing now and will do the other half after I have my hay planted.
I do not have good access to get a combine in there to harvest beans , or do not think anyone would want to bother with so little acreage.

Any suggestions on what would be the best to plant in the field ??
last fall I sprayed the field,had it limed,and has been plowed up all winter.

Thanks
Greg

wilamayb · Apr 16, 2015

You could always do soybeans and turn them under before pod set. If you used roundup ready beans you would be able to control weeds during the growing season. This would also allow you to reseed grass this fall as early as you desired.

Dell (WA) · Apr 16, 2015

Greg........umm? whats the difference be OATS and hay? both will bale nicely. Stay away from beans and corn. ........HTH, Dell

coonie minnie · Apr 16, 2015

When you say "hay", are we talking alfalfa, clover, grass or ?

And what kind of "hay" are you reseeding it to?

xcsp · Apr 16, 2015

(quoted from post at 15:54:09 04/16/15) When you say "hay", are we talking alfalfa, clover, grass or ?

And what kind of "hay" are you reseeding it to?

It had alfalfa /Timothy mix in it
Going to a grass hay [/code]

Dick L · Apr 16, 2015

A neighbor had rotated alfalfa back to alfalfa for the third time. Each time he burns down the field with what I expect is Roundup with anhydrous in the mid summer. It turns dead real fast. He then no tills it back to alfalfa in late August. The field is along the road next to his buildings and always has a nice stand. You can't plow it down and replant it to alfalfa and have the alfalfa germinate.

showcrop · Apr 16, 2015

Why? if you take good care of your pH and fertility, cut it frequently so that weeds don't go to seed, you will just get better and better grass, and thus hay.

sd pete · Apr 16, 2015

If its grass just spray it for weeds and fertilize it.

mndan · Apr 16, 2015

You could plant some spring wheat and then plow it under for green manure. I have done this in smaller fields and has worked well for me.

Northvale - PA · Apr 16, 2015

what I have read is that the alfalfa leaves are what causes the new seedlings to fail, not the roots. It takes about a full season for the old leaves to disappear
completely. I sprayed 1 of my fields with 2-4D last Sept and plan to replant this fall.

coonie minnie · Apr 16, 2015

Given that, I'd just spray it off and reseed it to grass. There is no reason to put some row crop in there in between.

GeneMO · Apr 16, 2015

Some areas have fescue pastures infected with the endophyte. I would think you would want to put it to another crop for at least two years. To make sure all of the old fescue is killed out.

If that is your reason or problem.

Another thing. Make sure whatever herbicides you put on the preceeding crop will not carry over and kill out your new grass the next season.

Check with the supplyer and label to see what the carryover period is.

Good luck, Gene

paul · Apr 16, 2015

If it had alfalfa, you could use the about 100# of free n the alfalfa is leaving you to grow corn. You,don't get nicer corn than after an alfalfa
field....

Planting soybeans would waste that free N.

If you are going to just a grass hay,,you don't need to rotate out to a row crop, but it is harder to control weeds and gopher holes without the
rotation. Nice to get a different crop in to use a different spray on the weeds; and work the ground up now and next fall to throw those blasted
varmints off the ground.

Paul

Joe Styke · Apr 17, 2015

How often do you guys reseed orchard grass--4th year getting some sparse spots.

JRSutton · Apr 17, 2015

I can't give you an exact answer, so I'd have to say hardly ever - have you done a soil analysis? Sounds more like you need fertilizer, or maybe lime.

Might help to reseed the bald spots of course - but orchard grass is pretty long lived stuffed. If you cut late a lot that could thin it out.

Are you haying it, or grazing? Grazing of course can kill it back too.

showcrop · Apr 17, 2015

(quoted from post at 13:16:56 04/17/15) How often do you guys reseed orchard grass--4th year getting some sparse spots.

Orchard grass is known for high seedling vigor so it tends to reseed itself. It is also very tolerant to grazing and multiple cuttings. it doesn't grow well during the hotter months but comes back nicely in cooler weather.

Rotating hay field ???????

xcsp

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wilamayb

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Dell (WA)

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coonie minnie

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xcsp

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Dick L

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showcrop

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sd pete

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mndan

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Northvale - PA

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coonie minnie

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GeneMO

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paul

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Joe Styke

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JRSutton

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showcrop

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