Are you getting spring fever yet? Here in west central Indiana, our predicted high temperature for this 20th day of February is 22°, I am certainly getting spring fever! Along with this spring fever comes my mental list of all the spring chores I need to get started on. For you hay producers this means preparing your hay fields for a bumper crop of high-quality hay. Ideally, the best time for hay field rejuvenation is late summer and early fall. However, a few steps in the spring will make great strides in maximizing your hay crop.

Now is the time to take a closer look at the spring preparations that will give you the highest tonnage yield and the highest feed quality of hay from your field. As I have said in past articles, it begins with a soil test. Without a soil test you are just making random guesses at what nutrients are needed. By randomly adding soil amendments you could be wasting money and time and possibly contributing to existing problems.

Fertilizing Your Hay Fields

Blindly broadcasting applications of products like 10-10-10 on hay fields can ultimately harm the yield. Long term, over application of phosphorus and potash make the crop virtually unresponsive to the fertilizer that is applied. According to a Purdue University article, over fertilization of forage crops can cut the yield by as much as 40% and greatly reduce the nutrient level of the hay for the animals that are eating it. Don’t get me wrong, fertilizing is the correct thing to do. However, year after year applications of equal percentage balanced fertilizer should never be the long term, sole source of fertilization.

Spring fertilization in hay fields will replenish nutrients removed by harvesting hay. You should rely on the results of your soil test to know the amount of fertilizer to apply. However, in the absence of a soil test, there are general maintenance recommendations for grass hay determined by the expected tonnage of harvested hay per acre. To determine this tonnage, you will need to know the number of bales you took off the field last year. What was the average weight of those bales? Multiply the number of bales by the average weight and divide by the number of acres of the field. This will give you a relative yield tonnage per acre to use for fertilization.  

IE: 590 bales x 45LBS per bale = 26,550lbs total yield ÷ 5 acres = 5,310LBS ÷ 2000LBS = 2.65 tons per acre average yield.

A general fertilizer application recommendation per acre for grass hay is as follows. Nitrogen (N) – 40 to 60 pounds, phosphate (P) – 7 to 8 pounds, and potash (K) – 40 to 42 pounds per ton of hay removed.

Preparing the Field

If you’re working on a field that has not been cut for hay in the past, and especially a field that has been fallow for years past, a couple of other important steps will need to be taken. Look for any small trees and either pull them, dig them out, or cut them at ground level. Even the twig sized trees can damage your hay equipment.

Prepare the field for quality hay by mowing the field down to 1½” to 2” tall. Be sure the mowed material is evenly distributed over the full width of the mower and ensure there are no large clumps of material left behind the mower. A flail mower is ideal for this as it will leave an even mat of well chopped material. This should be completed now, well before spring growth has started.

In any hay field, take notice of thin or bare spots and ask yourself what the cause of the issue could be. Is this area in the margin of the field near a wooded area that gets limited sun? Is this an area that doesn’t drain well and would benefit from some minor excavation work and a few buckets of soil? Or does this area simply need to be reseeded? Now is the time to find and rejuvenate these areas. 

Timing Hay Field Fertilization

So now you have your soil sample results and you know what amendments are needed. You’ve completed any minor excavation to address surface water issues as well as rough or rutted areas of your field. You’ve mowed down that remaining plant material in your new field. So, what now? Here in central Indiana, it’s time to hurry up and wait a few weeks, until noticeable growth has started – probably around the first of April. You should not fertilize dormant plants.

Once mid-April arrives, it's time to apply the recommended soil amendments. This will most likely include lime to adjust soil pH. (acidity) Soil pH in hay is crucial as it directly impacts the accessibility of nutrients to the plant. This not only affects the health and vigor of the plant but nutrient levels in the plant. Higher nutrient levels in the plant are vital for forage quality and animal nutrition. Once applied, lime will continue to control soil pH for several years.

For all your soil amendments the application method is important. Most items are in either powder or granular form and need to be evenly broadcast. Many people find that it is more economical to either rent the equipment to complete this or hire a custom application contractor.

When and How to Overseed Your Hay Field

Another subject that often comes up when discussing spring hay field prep is overseeding. There are many differing opinions on this subject. Here in the Midwest, my advice is to overseed in April. Overseeding is a relatively inexpensive technique to enhance the quality of your hay stand – especially when introducing legumes into your field. Early spring is a good time for this because of the reasonably reliable soil moisture expected. In any field you are going to overseed, first mow it down to 1½” to 2”.

On fields that you are over seeding, cut your nitrogen fertilizer application in half. Apply half of the recommended rate a couple weeks after seeding and the other half directly following the first cut of hay. This greatly reduces the chance of fertilizer burning on the new planting – especially in those areas where you have done any excavation or where areas of the field are thin.

Tilling Your Hay Field

Another quandary is whether to use some method of tillage on established hay fields before or after application of soil amendments or seeding to incorporate them into the soil. The answer to that question is going to depend on many factors. The first factor being who you ask, there are many differing opinions on this subject as well.

Because most of us are using small tractors, my personal advice is the use of a plug aerator as early in the year as possible, as soon as the soil is dry enough to work. A plug aerator is easy to pull and can be rented at many outdoor equipment rental facilities. When using a plug aerator, set it to run at 1½” to 2”. The use of a plug aerator slightly opens the soil to allow a higher percentage of the fertilizer to immediately get directly into the root zone, giving faster results. This also enhances germination rates when overseeding  by allowing good seed to soil contact.

Maximizing Hay Yields

I know for many of you the subject of maintenance of a hay field sounds a bit foreign. After all, it’s just grass and possibly some clover or alfalfa growing naturally. This is true, but it’s the food for your animals that gets them through the winter. Maximizing the amount and quality of the hay you harvest from your field will mean the difference between feeding your own hay all winter or buying hay in late winter when it’s the highest priced and harder to find. Replenishing soil nutrients removed naturally by harvesting your hay will pay you back nicely. Especially for those of you who are selling hay. More bales of high quality hay means more money in your pocket.

As I’ve mentioned in this article, as with all aspects of farming, there are differing opinions of some of the steps to maximize both the quantity and quality of your hay. Be sure to consult with your local USDA extension agent for guidance.

If you have further questions about small farm hay production, be sure to check out our website or give us a call at 260-BALE-HAY today!  Happy haying!