Dun,
When are you going to get your first cutting of Orchard grass hay? The clover is high, and the grass has formed an elbow here, and some of the taller grass, has formed an immature seed head. I want to cut it now. I realize that the clover is going to be wet, but I want to get the first cutting soon, so that it doesn't go to seed too early, and make the second cutting suffer. The seed head is going to make it go dormant somewhat since it is Orchard grass, and it also lowers the protein level.
The high level of clover has the grass so dark green.
I could not get out in the field to fertilize it earlier because of the wet ground, so when it is cut, then I can take care of that. The tests didn't call but for very little nitrogen, but that can come from the other nutrients, where it is part of the mixture.
What do you think about just over drying the grass a bit to dry the clover. I may have to let it dry longer to dry to clover, which will shatter those leaves, but I do want the grass. The concern here is the moisture from the ground now, but I think teddering the grass several times will cure that.
What are your plans for early cutting of Orchard Grass???
Chuckie
When are you going to get your first cutting of Orchard grass hay? The clover is high, and the grass has formed an elbow here, and some of the taller grass, has formed an immature seed head. I want to cut it now. I realize that the clover is going to be wet, but I want to get the first cutting soon, so that it doesn't go to seed too early, and make the second cutting suffer. The seed head is going to make it go dormant somewhat since it is Orchard grass, and it also lowers the protein level.
The high level of clover has the grass so dark green.
I could not get out in the field to fertilize it earlier because of the wet ground, so when it is cut, then I can take care of that. The tests didn't call but for very little nitrogen, but that can come from the other nutrients, where it is part of the mixture.
What do you think about just over drying the grass a bit to dry the clover. I may have to let it dry longer to dry to clover, which will shatter those leaves, but I do want the grass. The concern here is the moisture from the ground now, but I think teddering the grass several times will cure that.
What are your plans for early cutting of Orchard Grass???
Chuckie
So, I am trying to think of a way that I can make use of the very beautiful field of green Orchard grass and clover that is going to waste again if I don't do something about it. Last year we only got one overly dead seed head cutting with very dormant grass cutting, and one thin cutting in late summer. A few summers before when things were different, we got three lush timmed cuttings, and two of the cuttings produced over 40 bales on 10 acres of land. So we got either close to 100 bales off of that one field that year, or more. I do not know what we got off of it the third time. But it was not like the first two times because of the dormacy of the grass. This field of grass takes care of the cattle when it is taken care of. For some reason, it is a fight. The first cutting didn't come till almost the 1st of July. The rain has stopped and the sun is awfully strong to let the grass jump back to peak out by then. 
