Need some hay field advice

Joe Pro · Dec 11, 2009

We have a smaller field less than 5 acres that we have been making hay off of for the last several years. We have not done anything to the field and the quality of the hay has been going down. Now I am not a in experienced as this may sound, but I would like to revive this field, so that the hay crop will be better next year.

I know that most is seeded in the fall but my question is that is there any way that it could be seeded in the spring?

I will most likely lime it in the spring, but can it also be seeded?

This in in north central Ohio.

Thanks

Vito · Dec 11, 2009

Fertilize it.

Vito

JD2ACWD · Dec 11, 2009

frost seed it ,when its still a little frozen in the spring you can hand seed or use an atv

atlarge54 · Dec 11, 2009

I'm in NE Indiana and two years ago switched from cash renting my ground to haying on a share basis. It was planted to alfalfa timothy mix with oats as a nurse crop. We were fortunate to plant in late April and got nice moisture for germination. I believe first cut was around July 4th. After the first cut came a bad hot dry spell which nearly killed the young alfalfa. I recall the guy who does the farming say he'd never plant in the spring again.

ChrisB · Dec 11, 2009

Soil test with county extension. Do what they tell you. Simple as that.

OhioD14 · Dec 11, 2009

i read somewhere that alfalfa will eventually take over the field, and choke out other plants, including alfalfa plants. what you end up with is spotty plants of alfalfa.

Check with Ohio State web site, they have recomendations on crop rotation which might help. You may want to consider putting it in corn for a couple years, then go back to hay. i think that is the way the old timers did it, because alfalfa fixes nitrogen.

I am west Central Ohio near Greenville

Bill(Wis) · Dec 11, 2009

Spring seeding, around the same time you would put in wheat, oats, barley, etc. will work just fine. What kind of hay will you plant? If there's any alfalfa in that field now, don't try to reseed to alfalfa until 2011. Anything else should grow fine but it would be best to know what grows the best in your area and what are you going to use or sell the hay for? Timothy is great for horses and it drys down fast in the field. Legumes for beef or dairy cattle. Pasture?

scot in pa · Dec 11, 2009

I wold hit it with about 2 ton/acre of lime and some fertilizer and see what happens. It might come back gangbusters with a little nutrients added to the soil. But it would be better to have soil samples run.

A new seeding won't do much better if it still needs lime and fertilizer.

Bill Longstreet · Dec 11, 2009

We have several acres that we have been working on. The first year we mowed it low in the spring and used a broad cast spreader with Timothy. It was a waste of money for the most part. A lot of the seed never got to the ground so it did not germinate. The second year we did a space about 75x 100. We mowed it low and used one of the propane torches to burn the thatch and every thing else. We used the broad cast spreader again much better results. The new seed did well and the old grass came back. We did put some 10-10-10 down after every thing sprouted and you could see a difference all year but that was a lot of work. The third year I got a walk behind slit seeder from a landscaper. That was the best way to do it. The olny thing was we had to put weights on the seeder so it would cut the ground. We should have done it sooner in the year when the ground was soft. Last yeas we cut the field low and used one of those drag mats from TSC then went over it again with the mower. That was at the end of February. In mid march we used the slit seeder and went in two directions. It was an unbelievable deference compared to the rest or the field. We are in south east Ohio out side New Athens. The pic is part of the field. we are clearing it to make a food plot.

Bill

Bill Longstreet · Dec 11, 2009

I for got the pic.

Bill Longstreet · Dec 11, 2009

I for got the pic.

GeneMO · Dec 12, 2009

You can get tons of advice from all sorts of well meaning folks, and it dont mean squat. No offence here.

you need to contact a local agronomy specalist through your University extension service.

You need to tell them what your needs are. Horses, cattle, etc. Then test your soil. Work with them on what type of grasses are adapted to your area and suitable for your type of livestock. No need of limeing or fertilizing if you dont need it. Take soil tests, follow the experts advice.

Good luck,, Gene

2x4 · Dec 12, 2009

Lime in the Fall; fertilize in the spring.

cd1 · Dec 12, 2009

remember whatever you take from the ground you must replace. for years how you have been hauling off the nutrients in the form of hay. do some soil samples to get an idea where you are at and get the lime and fertilizer on it. 5 years is a long time to go with no fertilizer. I would not try to overseed, deal with your fertility first.

showcrop · Dec 12, 2009

most of my fields have not been seeded down. They were all run out when I took them over and just liming and fertilizing got rid of most of the weeds and brought much stronger growth from the desired grasses. As others have said soil tests will tell what are the minimum applications that you need.

KYfarm · Dec 12, 2009

Vito got it right below, simple answer:

fertilize it

jbp · Dec 12, 2009

GeneMO is right. Applying lime and fertilizer without a soil test is like adding oil without checking the dipstick first. Applying lime on land with a high PH will cut yields rather than increase them.
Joe

JK-NY · Dec 12, 2009

If you are planning to plow it up and reseed, spring is a good time, I would spray to kill perrenial weeds first. If you want to avoid plowing/reseeding - the others have given good advice - you need to fertilize , may need lime too. Soil test is worth while. It may be possible to frost seed it -broadcast seed it on top of bare ground at end of winter - freeze/thaw cycles that time of year will work it in. Works well with clovers , more variable with grasses like timothy , brome etc. I have kept seedings in decent production for over 20 years on high lime soils here in upstate NY by regular fertilizing (every year or 2) and occasonal frost seeding . Many areas also need lime for fertilizer to be most effective.

Mike (WA) · Dec 12, 2009

Fertilize it- with chicken manure. I had a field (rented) that had only one or two species of crummy grasses, then put on chicken fertilizer, and was amazed at what came in. Fescue, orchard grass, clover, etc.

Mike (WA) · Dec 12, 2009

Fertilize it- with chicken manure. I had a field (rented) that had only one or two species of crummy grasses, then put on chicken fertilizer, and was amazed at what came in. Fescue, orchard grass, clover, etc.

ejr-IA · Dec 12, 2009

To my understanding you can't interseed alfalfa into a established stand after a year of growth.

Need some hay field advice

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