[QUOTE=Major Mark;7937051]
I intend to install Timothy for my pastures/hay fields. For the first year I’ll let it grow out, however, should I mow it before it goes to seed, or let it go to seed before winter? I was talking to a former dairy farmer, and he said it needs to be mowed before winter because if long timothy lays down under snow for the winter, it hurts it growing back in the spring. Thoughts?[/QUOTE]
Timothy will “head out” develop seed heads in June around here. Orchard in May. Around here when Orchard seed heads are “top cut” and or cut and baled it does not produced another “round”. Timothy is a bit more persistent and some of it will try and put up some more seed stems. Around here second cuttings never have any seed stem growth. I wish Dandy Lions were the same.
I have found little to no benefit letting Timothy or Orchard go to seed. I have tried it a couple of times in a small section our hay field. Though I didn’t leave it, just let it mature and then when the seed heads “freely released” the seeds mowed it. Lots of seeds everywhere, on the mower and tractor. Very few germinated because they are just laying on top of the ground. The established hay grass grows back much quicker than the germinating seeds and they get “shaded out” so most die. I suppose they way nature intended. Otherwise things would get to “crowed” which sets up a growing environment for fungus/disease resulting in die back. Timothy doesn’t do well in my neck of the woods, too hot and to humid. Some of my neighbors have lost their entire Timothy stand in one season. I only mixed 1/3 Timothy in with the Orchard. Regular mowing a new stand promotes root growth and strengthens the stand. The same as pasture grass and or lawn. But unlike pasture and lawn grass that are “spreading types” Orchard and Timothy are “clump” grasses they do not spread.
IMO if it is not going to baled you will want to mow it on a regular bases keeping it around 6". But don’t let it get too long between mowing. Just like pastures if mowed when really long the thick heavy mowed stuff is going to smother what it is laying on. Go that T-shirt. That’s what sucks if a “baling window” collapses early and what has been cut to bale gets rained on. You still have to ted several times to get it dried down, rake and bale just to throw it out. If it is not too bad a cattle person may take it for a dollar a bale. Or just give it away. Around her the mushroom farms will buy it for around $75 a ton so it is not an entire loss. But a big hit going from $200-300 a ton down to $75. It took me a couple of years to get a “feel” for the process. It is not NEARLY as easy as it looks. What looks like a perfect weather window of 4-5 days can disappear in a matter of a day or so. I need 3-5 days of sun and humidity in the 40s to cut, bale and get in the barn around 10-15 acres. That’s using 4 hay wagons and hopefully finding 2-3 people to unload and stack. Around here the baling window is from around 12 to 4 after that the humidity level zooms up. Pretty much everyone has a preservative applicator on the baler. So we can bale in latter in the afternoon and or when humidity levels in general are above “ideal”.
When things go wrong my wife has learned to give me a wide “berth”.
