# Pre-Emergent on Hay Field?



## patriotfarm (Feb 2, 2009)

can you safely use a pre-emergent on an orchard grass hay field for horse consumption? Will it have a residual within the plant?


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## Sweeten Farms (Aug 30, 2008)

Any type of fertilizer will not "carry over" into the hay. What is the analysis of the starter fertilizer you are wanting to use? If you are using liquid 28 you have the potential to burn the plants a bit at application. Lower doses of N are safer. Hope that helps a bit.

Jeremy


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## Production Acres (Jul 29, 2008)

He is asking about a herbicide, not a fertilizer. We have not used much pre-emergent herbicides, but you might find one labeled for wheat and see how long you have to wait to graze the wheat, as is quite common in the south, and use that as a rule for hay production as well. probably something like 45 days.


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## patriotfarm (Feb 2, 2009)

Everyone I have spoken with tells me that pre-emergent is not needed on hay. Just have a good fertilization program and treat weeds with a post emergent such as 2,4-D. I slit seeded my field last fall and applied a starter fert.







and I just applied an application of fertilizer as recommended by a soil sample The fertilizer supplier (also a hay producer) said that an application of nitrogen should be applied after each cutting ( In Virginia we should get 3 cuttings.


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## Production Acres (Jul 29, 2008)

you will usually need aout 50 units of N per acre for 2nd and 3rd cuttings, you will need to apply p and k additionally if you split the application on the first cutting - often rates over 100 units will be split into 2 or more applications


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