Thinking of planting a hayfield.

Dave H (MI)

Well-known Member
Even though I have cut and sold hay for many years, I have never planted a hayfield. I take fields left by others. I want grass hay. Thinking a blend. I have a drill but really old and not sure it works but I can find another if necessary. I could use some advice on how, when and what would be a good blend for my area. What I cut now is a real mix. Orchard grass, timothy, what looks like some type of rye, various interloping wild grasses and minimal alfalfa. The field I am using is mine, so it will be there long term. It has been in grain for a long time. Corn the last couple of years. Any advice appreciated.
 
You cannot get grass seed to flow through the small seed attachment of a drill. You need a spinner spreader. Many people, including myself have tried and many people have failed. How many acres? I have seeded up to two acres with a hand seeder.
 
I put orchard grass seed the the regular box and Timothy seed in the small box. I no till a lot to existing hay fields for other.( I think I have the only no till drill left in the area,and it's not had a bean in it in 15 years)
 
Drilled lots of grass through the box on my drills . planted a crp blend that had rice hulls mixed with the seed
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Call Gary Humrich at R.W. Humrich and Sons an ex Allis Chalmers dealer in Plainfield (south of Fowlerville)517-851-8935. He used to have a Brillion grass seeder that he would rent out. Missed you at the lunch today.
 
I grow Fescue and orchard grass seed, in KY. My suggestions apply for KY, not sure about MI.

The best mix is 85% fescue, and 15% orchard grass. You can add a couple #'s of timothy, and a couple #'clover if you like. University of KY says second week of September is the best week of the year to drill grasses. I tend to agree. Most of my seed is sold and planted from the end of August to the end of October.

For no till drill settings I recommend 12# / acre.
I have run Fescue and wheat thru a van brunt in tilled ground with good results. Nathan
 
Maybe not brome, but most other small seeds can be accurately sown with a conventional drill into tilled ground. Pack after sowing. Brome and other coarse seeds can be mixed in with oats in the seed box, and it will do as good a job as your mixing and porportioning. Oats are the preferred nurse crop if you are taking that route, less competitive and allows the grasses to get a good start. Best taken off as green chop to stimulate grass growth. Sow orchard for palatiblity, brome for volume and Timothy for hardiness. Don't expect much second crop unless you get lots of moisture. Fertilize fertilize and oh yes, fertilize for maximum yield and longevity
Ben
 
Thanks Ian! If the one in March happens I may try to get over there. Pretty brutal around here until the corporate/partnership tax deadline goes by in March. I will still have a lot of 1040 work around but I will see how backed up I get. Thanks for the tip on the rental! Almost for sure I will lose it before I need it but I will remember who has it, LOL!
 
I no longer use(or own) a grain drill.I use a small(500lb) fertilizer spinner/spreader. Set to about one half of desired rate. Use a 30 to 40 ft pattern. Then split the tracks. Cover with a roller/harrow,etc.then corrugate into rows/furrows.this is plowed ground in furrow irrigated country.
 
Coops around my area will mix the grass seed(or anything else) when they mix up the fertilizer,also they rent those pull behind spreaders.Have them set the spreader rate so you run over it twice and then run a cultipacker over the ground a couple times.I'd put some Oats in a a nurse crop too.
 
We always just drill it with either the seeder box in front or through the regular seed box like with beans. If you want hay this year plant with Oats and mow early for oat hay. If you want a crop this year and hay next you can seed an Alfalfa mix with Timothy in with beans you do have to spray accordingly. For that I would ask may local spray guy about what to use. I did an alfalfa /bean planting one time then cut the hay the following year with good results.
Timothy with Alfalfa would be my choice get a good mix for protein and energy second cutting will be finer and softer for that market.
 

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