# Acquired an 8 acre Timothy/ o grass field- questions



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Got a call last month to take a look at a new small field. Property was purchased over the winter and new owners was looking for someone to cut their field. Walked the field and noticed o grass. It was drilled in recently, but by previous owner. You can see it was. I agreed to take on the field. Went there this morning to cut and noticed a nice blend of Timothy came in, too.

I don't have any fields with large amounts of Timothy in them except a token patch here or there.
My questions are:
Does Timothy tend to spread well? Does it reseed itself well? 
Is there anything I can do to help it spread? 
I heard it does not like 2-4-d? True/false.

Any other Timothy growing/maintaining advice?


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Dont know about Tim spreading in PA, but it does not "spread" well here....tolerates 2-4d ok....I usually don't ever put more than 2 pints of ester to the acre. It can reseed itself but not vigorously like fescues. Dont forget to mow it 3.5" or higher.

Regards, Mike


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

It'll die before it spreads.


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## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

You treat timothy the same way you do O-grass, just more delicately. It will mature later than the o-grass, and will probably never make a seed, and even if it would, most of them would not grow, and in a few years here there will be no timothy. I've never heard that 2,4-D was a problem....... Somebody should've told us, about 25 years ago!

Rodney


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

JD-

I know all the stories about timothy being a 3-4 year thing, but I have a field that is now 40-60 tim og that started out new timothy in about 05. Still produces the most dry matter of any fields I have on first cutting. I have tried to overseed but with zilch success. If there is a bare spot from spraying etc, the timothy will grow germanate fine but not just across the board. The og is all volunteer. It will not take cimmaron or chapparal but I think pasture guard will work, just not as effective on some plants as the others.

I did topdress my new timothy field with 50 units n after first cutting as a test. Really greened up nicely and is growing. Not sure it is worth it from an additional hay yield standpoint, but it may help it in persistance.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Cool climate like here timothy stands are persistant and self seeding. Only exception is now that darned smooth bedstraw spreads faster and out competes.

Timothy can't take more that 2 cuttings per season or it will die off. If left it will mature, go to seed in July then send up new growth and go to seed again in Aug / Sept.

It is a preferred hay for horses here because it dries so well its easier to prevent mouldy bales.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

If timothy can take 2 or more cutting depends on the breed of timothy and local climate. There are new breeds out that can take two cuttings. It has shallow roots so likes moisture but does not like to be under water. Cooler temps too. Timothy does not spread from the roots. If some is left to go to seed it can spread. It is a small seed so does not take many pounds per acre to reseed.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Keep fertility and ph up and it'll do good. Lodging will kill it if you dont cut the stubble low enough. Had a field my dad mowed with the header tilted back (6in) cause it would plug and he doesnt have patience to mow properly (driver not operator) the following year there was no timothy to be found in that field. Too much N and it lodges badly


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## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

Maybe, but if you cut any grass too low, and it will not grow back, as you are taking all of it's reserves to regrow. We cut almost all of it with the discbine tilted at least halfway back. And that's still lower than the ole sickle mower.

Rodney


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Thanks so are all of you saying you plant it and it grows a few years, plays out and then you must reseed it?


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## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

yes.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

What's the least expensive way to plant Timothy with acceptable results? 
I would not be permitted to spray roundup and start over. It must be planted with minimal disturbance.
No till drill?


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

JD3430 said:


> What's the least expensive way to plant Timothy with acceptable results?
> I would not be permitted to spray roundup and start over. It must be planted with minimal disturbance.
> No till drill?


Yes, No till drill. On existing sod there is so little disturbance that it can be hard to tell where you have covered.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

JD3430 said:


> What's the least expensive way to plant Timothy with acceptable results?
> I would not be permitted to spray roundup and start over. It must be planted with minimal disturbance.
> No till drill?


Mix the seed in with the cattle mineral and turn the cattle out on to field. A nice moist cow pie is a perfect environment to get those seedlings growing. Lots of moisture and plenty of fertilizer. But the stand might be a little bit uneven so better only let the cattle on 1/4 acre lots at a time.

Have you looked at over seeders?


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

Uncle used to over seed by dumping seed on top of a load of manure before he spread it!


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Tim/South said:


> Yes, No till drill. On existing sod there is so little disturbance that it can be hard to tell where you have covered.


I was just reading the same on another website. I wondered how the seedlings would compete with existing stand, but most of my field owners dislike the idea of heavy ground disturbance.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

JD3430 said:


> I was just reading the same on another website. I wondered how the seedlings would compete with existing stand, but most of my field owners dislike the idea of heavy ground disturbance.


 Unless the existing stand of grass is thin I don't know how much of the timothy you would no till into would actually take hold and grow. If you could spray roundup to kill the sod and then no till drill timothy it probably would work well and the ground disturbance would be minimal.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

JD3430 said:


> What's the least expensive way to plant Timothy with acceptable results?
> I would not be permitted to spray roundup and start over. It must be planted with minimal disturbance.
> No till drill?


If you can't kill what's there now, whether by herbicide or plow, it's probably not worth bothering. Your next best hope would be to try to stunt the existing stand by mowing it as close to the ground as physically possible.


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## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

Now that's a good idea - grass hay will be stunted killed by mowing it too close to the ground, so a new seeding might be able to get a hold and grow. I will plant our timothy in September with a no-till drill into ground that was either an existing hay field, or wheat stubble, but either one would be sprayed with Round-Up. Are you allowed to spay anything on this ground? Timothy gets a mite in spring that needs to be sprayed.

Rodney


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Didnt know Timothy needed to be sprayed for mites. Is this mite guaranteed too show up, or just a "maybe" ?


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

I believe mite infestations are very regional and your in that region. I hope it stays that way.....no mites here in Timothy...yet.

Regards, Mike


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I didnt notice anything on my Timothy.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

JD3430 said:


> I didnt notice anything on my Timothy.


When you mowed it? You probably wouldn't unless you get down on hands and knees and actively search.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

JD3430 said:


> Didnt know Timothy needed to be sprayed for mites. Is this mite guaranteed too show up, or just a "maybe" ?


Here in the Shenandoah Valley in Va, you spray for mites with timothy-usually late april. You usually can do some weed control at the same time if needed. The only exceptions are a brand new stand usually does not require it the first spring and once your stand has less than 30% or so timothy, you don't bother. I have the coop scout my fields every year. If you wait until the pop is up and active you may have already sustained significant damage. I have seen beautiful fields wiped out-turned brown and dead in may. awful.


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## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

The timothy mite will only and I mean ONLY eat timothy. They are so small they will blow in the wind. I bet that the same wind that blows here might come from your place. So, if you have timothy, you HAVE mites. If you have a field that you know has a pure stand of timothy, mite damage will show up as a droughty looking field, even if it rains every other day. I think the Sevin XLR label says about 4 weeks after green up a guy should spray. I would only do it here if you have a pure stand of timothy, and you want it to give something. You don't spray plain O-grass, and mixed stands sorta get into the grey area of should you spray or not....... it's all up to personal decision. If it's just a spotty mix I'd for sure let the mites have it. If it's heavy on the timothy, then you should probably spray it.

Rodney


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Rodney R said:


> The timothy mite will only and I mean ONLY eat timothy. They are so small they will blow in the wind. I bet that the same wind that blows here might come from your place. So, if you have timothy, you HAVE mites. If you have a field that you know has a pure stand of timothy, mite damage will show up as a droughty looking field, even if it rains every other day. I think the Sevin XLR label says about 4 weeks after green up a guy should spray. I would only do it here if you have a pure stand of timothy, and you want it to give something. You don't spray plain O-grass, and mixed stands sorta get into the grey area of should you spray or not....... it's all up to personal decision. If it's just a spotty mix I'd for sure let the mites have it. If it's heavy on the timothy, then you should probably spray it.
> 
> Rodney


yep, that is about the way we look at it here.


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