# The Curious Case Of Reed Canary Grass.



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Hay and Forage Grower.

Regards, Mike

https://hayandforage.com/article-1622-The-curious-case-of-reed-canarygrass.html


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

Nice article, Mike. I've been working a field of canary grass on shares with a guy the last two years. The first year we got the first cutting (in round bales) way past prime and it was heavy on stems, but produced a bumper crop of round bales. This year we got the first cutting baled on time (in rounds) and the hay was much nicer, but the yield dropped off (as would be expected). The second cuttings for both years was put up in small squares and was absolutely beautiful, although the leaves were a little coarser than timothy, orchard grass or other 'traditional' grass varieties. The guys beef cows seem to love the stuff and have been putting on weight very well with it.

I thought about putting some in on my farm the next time I seeded a field... but then I looked at the price. The cheapest from my usual supplier is $242 for a 50 pound bag and they recommend seeding at 14 pounds and acre by itself or 2-10 pounds per acre in a mix. At those prices, I can put in a lot of timothy.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Might be cheaper in the long run, though.
The stuff grows thick as a jungle and has great yield. I have a field with 30 acres of it.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Josh in WNY said:


> Nice article, Mike. I've been working a field of canary grass on shares with a guy the last two years. The first year we got the first cutting (in round bales) way past prime and it was heavy on stems, but produced a bumper crop of round bales. This year we got the first cutting baled on time (in rounds) and the hay was much nicer, but the yield dropped off (as would be expected). The second cuttings for both years was put up in small squares and was absolutely beautiful, although the leaves were a little coarser than timothy, orchard grass or other 'traditional' grass varieties. The guys beef cows seem to love the stuff and have been putting on weight very well with it.
> 
> I thought about putting some in on my farm the next time I seeded a field... but then I looked at the price. The cheapest from my usual supplier is $242 for a 50 pound bag and they recommend seeding at 14 pounds and acre by itself or 2-10 pounds per acre in a mix. At those prices, I can put in a lot of timothy.


Maybe do the RC grass and Timothy in a mix to get the field established and then it sounds like in time the RC grass will take over with the rhizome roots. That would cut your RC costs in half.

Regards, Mike


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

Local farm here that sells seeds has many fields in Reed Canary that he combines. In fact when I was talking with my seed rep from TA Seeds, he had to stop there to pick up Reed Canary seed to take back with him. My uncle has one of those fields beside him and has Reed Canary encroaching to his field. Have not seen that particular field taken off in years just gets brush hogged once in the fall.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

JD3430 said:


> Might be cheaper in the long run, though.
> The stuff grows thick as a jungle and has great yield. I have a field with 30 acres of it.





Vol said:


> Maybe do the RC grass and Timothy in a mix to get the field established and then it sounds like in time the RC grass will take over with the rhizome roots. That would cut your RC costs in half.
> 
> Regards, Mike


You both might be right, but it would be fun trying to pick the best time to mow... you'd probably have to base it on the CG maturity or it would get a lot of stems in a hurry.

The other thing I noticed is that canary grass seems to dry down a lot quicker. We could have almost baled the day after mowing without tedding it and not using preservative. Usually our area of the country is a 3-day window for timothy or OG hay.


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

We run a 10 acre patch of RC. Why we ended up with it is the field is under water till June 1. The stuff survives wth wet and dry. Our 1st crop is usually pretty ripe. But with wheat straw over 100/ton this is an attractive bedding and crop for ground that can't sustain afalfa or any other grain crop. If the DNR allows waterway cleaning we might be able to plant something else.
2nd crop made right is heifer candy.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Farmineer95 said:


> 2nd crop made right is heifer candy.


Yes indeed it is.


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

2nd crop, and 3rd crop, made right, also makes excellent horse hay!
I would surmise that 1st crop would, as well, if gotten early enough!


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

First crop does make good horse hay, but you do have to get it pretty early which can be tough if it's on wet ground. One thing I've read somewhere but haven't been able to verify is that once canary grass is cut the first time, it won't regrow the seedhead.


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

I think you're right.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Josh in WNY said:


> First crop does make good horse hay, but you do have to get it pretty early which can be tough if it's on wet ground. One thing I've read somewhere but haven't been able to verify is that once canary grass is cut the first time, it won't regrow the seedhead.


I think RC has a Rhizome root structure though. Doesnt it? Ours comes back with avengance each year


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

JD3430 said:


> I think RC has a Rhizome root structure though. Doesnt it? Ours comes back with avengance each year


It will reproduce from seeds as well as from the rhizomes... that's part of what makes it so hard to get ride of. The big problem with letting it go to seed it the tall stalk that the seed head is on. It makes any bale of hay look more like straw than grass.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Josh in WNY said:


> It will reproduce from seeds as well as from the rhizomes... that's part of what makes it so hard to get ride of. The big problem with letting it go to seed it the tall stalk that the seed head is on. It makes any bale of hay look more like straw than grass.


Yes it does look like straw when mature. When it's like 18"-30" tall it looks beautiful. Leafy, not too stemmy. It seems like it's be a great grass to cut for hay like 4-5 times/te in my area


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Dries a bit quicker than other grasses 
Heads out a little later than orchard grass and before timothy


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

Good TMR hay


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