when to fertilize for hay

[5th Generation]

I know each part of the country is different but there seems to be two different ideas about when to fertilize in the spring. Some guys fertilize in the middle of march no matter what or when green just starts to show. The other point of view is to wait until grass is actually growing say 2-3 inches tall. I feel the later is the way to go, but I was wandering what you guys thought? I think you can put phosphate and potash on early and be ok but nitrogen can be a waste. By the way I live in south central Missouri. Thanks

 

[dun]

I do it after the first of the year as soon as the trucks can get into the hay fields without damaging them. Sometimes that's february, sometimes it's may.

 

[RoppFamilyFarm]

Here in the Willamette Valley in Oregon we always get a week of nice, non-rainy, weather in the middle to end of march. We always take advantage of that and fertilize our hay fields then. Not very scientific, but everyone has done it that way forever so there must be something to it

I am a little more precise when fertilizing our pastures. I stick as close as i can to the T-Sum 200 Method. http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/pest/docs/pdf ... em8852.pdf

Hope that helps.

 

[snake67]

Well, I actually fertilize after every cut.

Be that as it may you can never go wrong with this plan - mind you we actually get the ground frozen to about 5-6 feet down every winter:

Wait until the ground is warm, the grass is greening up and do it just before a forecast rain.

Otherwise your local fertilizer, seed and so on rep is probably far ahead of anyone else on advice for your area - you buy it from them - use them for their expertise - that is what they are there for. It costs nothing but a telephone call.

Bez

 

[BC]

It depends on your area and the type of grass you are growing. Here in East Texas for Bermuda grass (Coastal, common, Tifton, Jiggs, etc.), you want the nighttime low temperatures to reach 58 degrees for several nights in a row.

 

[JSCATTLE]

I don't fertilize until the night time temp is at least 65 and holding . My grass really starts to grow when night time temps are in the 70's

 

[Caustic Burno]

I don't fertilize until the night time temp is at least 65 and holding . My grass really starts to grow when night time temps are in the 70's

Yep your right the local supplier here is selling fertilizer like crazy.
I know he is laughing all the way to the bank. Every year at the first sign of green the rush is on.
The only thing getting more green are weeds and his bank account.
What truly amazes me is he will tell people buying our grass doesn't utilize fertilizer until the night temps are
at least 60.
They continue to buy anyway go figure.

 

[Tim/South]

I am going to feed my ryegrass some nitrogen this week. I try to wait until about now and hope there is some kick left for when the Bermuda cranks up.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Depends on your goal. Response to N is very seasonal. Soil moisture and soil temp have a big effects.
The highest pounds of forage per pound N is just before it starts growing in the spring.

 

[Angus Cowman]

being from your area and assuming you are just talking about mainly fescue I would put the N on anytime after the first of april

also if you can afford it this yr I would fertilize it again in September for fall growth I would only put about 100lbs of N on in the fall and usually put about200 on in the spring

asuuming you are using 32% that would be 32lbs of actual N in the fall and 64lbs in the spring
we always put p and k on in February and most yrs we put N on in march but with the weather you have had this yr I would wait till april

 

[ga.prime]

Fertilize a month to 6 weeks before you want to cut hay for best quality.

 

[SRBeef]

I've read some Wisconsin publications that say the best time to fertilize hay ground is in early June. The logic as I recall is that you will get the first flush of grass in May anyway, apply the N for a second and later cuttings. Early June you are still likely to get a rain to wash it in. P & K can be applied any time since they don't move in the soil very quickly. Nitrogen and Sulphur do move with water.

Applied too early there may be no N left for later cuttings unless you fertilize after each cutting as Bez does. However that depends on climate. Surface applied N will largely be lost to volatization unless there is a rain shortly after application.

To minimize the trips across the field might as well apply P & K at the same time as the N and S + micros if needed.

Jim

 

[Stocker Steve]

I've read some Wisconsin publications that say the best time to fertilize hay ground is in early June. The logic as I recall is that you will get the first flush of grass in May anyway, apply the N for a second and later cuttings. Early June you are still likely to get a rain to wash it in. Jim

No.
Read the classic Grass Productivity by Andre Voisin.

 

[ga.prime]

Then read Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey and see which one you like best.

 

[OklaBrangusBreeder]

Fertilize a month to 6 weeks before you want to cut hay for best quality.

That is what I do. Around Oklahoma, the first bermuda grass cutting happens mid June or so. So, I try to fertilize sometime around the 10th of May, varying a little bit up or back based on rain forecasts.....

 

[Stocker Steve]

Then read Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey and see which one you like best.

Does it have alot of pictures ?

 

[ga.prime]

Drawings, not pictures.

 

[hurleyjd]

I had 100lbs of urea and 100lbs of potash spread per acre on forty acres of rye grass on Thursday. Was talking to a neighbor Saturday and he said that he never used urea only nitrate. What is every ones thoughts on this, I may not have put out as much as needed but was planning to fertilize again the middle of April.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I had 100lbs of urea and 100lbs of potash spread per acre on forty acres of rye grass on Thursday. Was talking to a neighbor Saturday and he said that he never used urea only nitrate. What is every ones thoughts on this, I may not have put out as much as needed but was planning to fertilize again the middle of April.

I got scared off urea or nitrate and letting the cows on it for a couple of weeks after a neighbor ended
up with a crop of dummy calves. Vet said he thought it was nitrate poisoning.
He had put 300 pounds to the acre.

 

[Don McCallum]

Urea needs a rain within 48 hours after applying. If no rain after top dressing, urea will go through a chemical reaction and form ammonia which will start evaporating
into the air. 100 lbs. per acre of urea is 46 lbs. of N per acre. I would not use too much ammonia nitrate the middle of April, if I got a rain after applying the 100 lbs. of urea.