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Midwest

I have 3 bails. Will it break down before the season begins? I've been adding coffee grounds to the patch all winter over maple leaves. It's pretty wet out there.
Thanks
Greg

1/25/2006 1:35:20 PM

new middletown ohio

greg, If tou just put the hay on now or even last fall it will not break down that fast. raw hay should be put on a yr. prior so it has time to break down and also let the weeds seed germinate so they can be tilled in. you will have a lot of weeds this year. raggu

1/25/2006 2:05:39 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Hay might be Ok to use as a mulch to hold down weeds and conserve moisture. I plan to do that myself this year. You will need to keep adding mulch as the season goes on until you get good leaf coverage to shade out weeds. I use grass clippings. The hay might bring in weed seeds, depending on when it was cut. The best hay will be first cutting alfalfa, as the weeds would not have had time to go to seed. Also, don't put the mulch on too early. You need to give the soil time to warm up in the spring. After a season as mulch with warm weather to speed up the breakdown, you should be able to till it into the soil in the fall.

1/26/2006 8:08:31 AM

Midwest

Thanks for your help. I haven't had weeds the last two seasons. I didn't allow weeds to get bigger than a finger since I began 2 years ago. I didn't use manure either. Thank you for the warning about the weeds and about how long it takes hay to break down. Best wishes !

1/26/2006 1:35:01 PM

Follansbee, Wv

If you know a few friendly cows, I know a way to break that hay down pretty quick :)

1/26/2006 3:57:45 PM

Norton, MA

What about straw, like for horses bedding? I already put a few bales in but you can still give me the bad news. Thanks, AleX Noel.

1/26/2006 6:19:51 PM

Indiana

Straw has much fewer weed seeds than hay. Straw is from wheat, hay is cut grasses/weeds or alfalfa. I have used straw as mulch before after running it thru a leaf shredder. I didnt notice any extra weeds you have to put it on thick for a mulch because it settles a lot after a rain or two. by fall it was about half broken down and tilled in nicely.

1/26/2006 6:57:01 PM

Montoursville, PA

There is not a whole bunch more to say. I second the motion on most of what is said here. Mulching will see more and more play as growers discover the values of it.

I like to mix ground leaves in with the straw and or hay when I have them available.

1/26/2006 9:59:13 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I agree that straw will give fewer weeds than hay. Since your grains are shallow rooted, they might not have all of the micronutrients that good alfalfa hay can have. I have seen alfalfa roots as deep as 12' in excavations in good loess soil. It gets down where the other plants don't go. I also agree with Moondog about adding more mulch as the season goes on. I use clippings from my lawn and from my ladino clover plots for the deer. Clipping the deer plot gives me mulch with more nitrogen as well as keeping fresh growth for the deer. It helps to keep them out of the patch. Last year with the lack of rain, it really helped save moisture.

1/26/2006 10:49:37 PM

Rexburg, Idaho (brianchristensenmd@gmail.com )

Hay makes great organic matter. I chop about 100 bales and put it on my patch every fall. The weeds depend on what type of hay. I use decent alfalfa so the weeds are not a big problem. (at least not compared to what blows in or is already there). The two don't even compare when it comes to doing an anaylsis of nutrients. Make a compost pile hay is considered green and straw is considered brown

1/27/2006 12:57:03 AM

Sheridan . NY

put the hay down as soon as possible--work it in 5-6 inchs--the first thing in the spring apply SYMBEX AND MOLASSES 3 time before planting work it each time --the hay will dispear ---

1/27/2006 8:26:05 AM