# First year orchard grass question



## tnwalkingred (Jun 8, 2010)

Ok guys so I planted my orcahrd grass last fall and while I got a pretty good stand to come in, it didn't get very tall at all this spring probably because I didn't fertilize it. I kept waiting around to see if it would grow a little more before I cut but then it got very unseasonably hot and dry for May and June and much to my dismay the hay has went dormant and has turned brown. The grass is less than knee high and my question is this. Should I cut and bale the dormant grass to get it out of the field so that the second cutting will be better or just leave till the fall???? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Kyle


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## hayray (Feb 23, 2009)

I would cut and bale the growth and get it off, it should be useable for something. Whenever I planted Orchardgrass pure stand I was really dissapointed with the yield also. Seems it grows great in a mixed stand or a couple season down the road but pure clear seedings seem to due rather poorly in my situation. Same as you, never had the money to put into that much nitrogen fertilizer. I see in trials that it does yield rather high when treated by the book. Did you plant a new and improved variety or just a variety not stated seed? That would make a big difference in yield and maturity date.


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## tnwalkingred (Jun 8, 2010)

Hayray,

I'm going to no-till the field this fall and add in some timothy or alfalfa but not sure which one yet. I would like to add some alfalfa but am leaning towards the timothy so that I can still spray the field with 2-4-d. Any suggestions? I just planted the run of the mill seed that the local Co-Op sells. I believe it was Persist. I am going to put the nitrogen to the field next spring and hope for much better results.

Kyle


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## mulberrygrovefamilyfarm (Feb 11, 2009)

I've seen the same thing that you have, the grass hay's need their fertilizer or they won't perform worth a darn. I'd cut it high and bale it. Around here the alfalfa/orchard sells really well to horse folks and cow folks. Orchard/Timothy would still sell well, but not as well because cow people see it as grass/grass hay and horse people are horse people. I like the orchard/alfalfa because I don't have to use as much N on the fields and because the timothy gets baled out after a few years and needs to be planted.


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## tnwalkingred (Jun 8, 2010)

Mulberry,

What kind of weed control do you use in a orchard/alfalfa stand? Thanks.

Kyle


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

Kyle, I would cut the hay and leave about 4" of stubble. In Va., orchardgrass does not get that tall the first year. Next year will be much better. I would also interseed with timothy so that you can use a broadleaf herbicide on your field. Just my opinion. Mike


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## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

You have to put on the nitrogen or it will not grow. Occasionly, we skip one for some reason or another, and that has always been the case, timothy as well. if you give it fertilizer it WILL grow. The problem with mixes is that they are a mix. If a guy plants alfalfa in there (that would be my choice), then 2,4-D is out, and you're only left with Gramoxone in the early spring, or 2,4-D B (Butyrac). The Butyrac needs a 10 day rain free window for application, and how many times does that happen? So a guy applies it, and then only gets 5 or 6 days, and the kill was not 100% on what he was trying to get. The kill was good, but not great.
The problem that I've always encountered with a timothy and OG stand was trying to match the maturity date - and that always leads to a problem when one gets mature before the other.

Rodney


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## astropilot (Jun 3, 2008)

For best results I would use Clair timothy its cheap and it matches well the ph of Middle Tenn. ground.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

tnwalkingred said:


> Mulberry,
> 
> What kind of weed control do you use in a orchard/alfalfa stand? Thanks.
> 
> Kyle


I have been told that Sencor DF applied in the fall after everything goes dormant will control grass weeds in an alfalfa/OG mix. Bought some 3 years and was going to ty it, then chickened out! Perrrrrruck, perck, perck, perck.

Ralph


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