Should I cut now or wait?

[kenojoe]

I sold all my cows and am going to let my fields come back for a year. My question is, should I wait until the grass goes to seed and then mow. Should I mow when it starts getting up a little and keep the weeds down? I have sprayed 2,4D and most of the weeds are curling up. I am not going to take any hay this year as I want my fields to rest, last years drought was rough. Do I gain anything by letting the grass reseed itself, given the energy it requires for a plant to make seed? I can not afford to fertilize this year and am not sure what is the best approach to help my fields. Fields are mixed grasses with little clover left.Thanks for any help. Joe

 

[bigbull338]

since your not going to take the grass for hay.i would wait an let it seedout.an then shredd it.

 

[john250]

I just observed a pasture of mine that was completely devastated by 2007 conditions. Freeze, drought, overgrazing. I intended a complete reseed, perhaps even a year in soybeans. What I saw is a nice stand of clover and orchardgrass which has to have come from seed already there.
Look very closely at that field. You might be lucky. Or not.

 

[1982vett]

since your not going to take the grass for hay.i would wait an let it seedout.an then shredd it.

I agree, since you have sprayed the weeds, let the grass grow. Be carefull it doesn't become a fire danger. Neighbors just finished a controlled burn on some of their leftover pasture.

 

[mack]

Another way to look at it is just like intensive grazing. As long as you graze properly - never graze lower than 4" and never let it seed out - the grass will tiller more and thicken up. If it does go to seed and reach physiological maturity, then the plant may say "OK I'm done now" and set idle waiting for the next session of tillers to occur... which could take a while. Plus when it reaches maturity, it has put a lot of energy into the seed head instead of roots and tillers.

I guess, I would mow it high before it reaches the boot stage... then again it depends on how sparse the grass is in the field. It may be worth getting someone to take a look at for a second opinion... maybe Gary Carver with Extension or Dwight down at Miles.