# Fall vs spring - hay field maintenance/rejuvenation advice



## gdutson (Nov 12, 2009)

Hi all,

I am located in Western Oregon (Willamette Valley). I have 2 20-acre fields that I hay every July. Both fields were seeded in '98 with a pasture blend and still produce very well with minimal spray and fertilizer. We rotate horses onto the fields after hay is removed every year until fall rains begin. One field stays pretty dry and smooth while the other is a lowland wet mess until at least June/July every year. The lowland field is really rough from rain compaction and tractor ruts from fertilizing and spraying in the spring. It beat my equipment up pretty good this year while haying so I have to do something to get smoothed back out.

Since I can't get on the field to seed early enough in spring to get a decent hay crop, I was thinking that this fall I would serate it by using my single ripper wedge shank on 10' centers to improve the drainage and then lightly disc, harrow, and overseed. I do have irrigation for the field as well and I would love to get opinions on what is the best time to overseed and if there is other methods I should consider.

So is fall OK to plant? How late? Or can I plant grass in the summer heat as long as I irrigate well?

Thanks for any suggestions?

Greg


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

"So is fall OK to plant? How late? Or can I plant grass in the summer heat as long as I irrigate well?"

In most of the eastern part of this country, fall is the very best time of the year to plant grass. If I were having trouble with spring spraying and fertilizing due to soft ground I would at least fertilize in the fall and after my grass was established I would fall spray with something like Grazon P&D which has some residual carryover. I would stay off the lowland in the Spring if it was me, as I detest rutty fields. How late to plant in fall?? I would try to plant at least 8 weeks before the first killing(hard) frost or freeze.

Regards, Mike


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## Montana Red (Jul 24, 2011)

Note if you spray your fields with Grazon dont plan on having any sort of broadleaf in it for awhile grazon contain tordon which has long residuals and will keep alfalfa and clover from growing. I think you would be fine planting grass in the fall, you will usually have less weed pressure.


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## gdutson (Nov 12, 2009)

Thanks for the responses...

Since I can get on the fields now, any reason to not plant during summer?

~Greg


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

gdutson said:


> Thanks for the responses...
> 
> Since I can get on the fields now, any reason to not plant during summer?
> 
> ~Greg


Depends on whether you are planting cool season or warm season grasses. Might be about a month early for cool season grasses. Not really sure as I am not familiar with the climate in the Willamette Valley.

Regards, Mike


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

Montana Red said:


> Note if you spray your fields with Grazon dont plan on having any sort of broadleaf in it for awhile grazon contain tordon which has long residuals and will keep alfalfa and clover from growing. I think you would be fine planting grass in the fall, you will usually have less weed pressure.


Montana Red,
You are correct about the residual in Grazon P+D.

Active Ingredient: picloram + 2,4-D. Picloram is the common name used for Tordon.

Tordon has a very long residual. Manure from sheep grazed on Tordon-controlled weeds in the Gallatin valley pretty much killed everything in a Bozeman resident's garden in the early '70s.

Weedmaster would be a better choice for weed control when considering fall seedings. Much less residual...effective broadleaf weed control on emerged weeds.


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## farmer2 (Aug 6, 2010)

You are very lucky to live where you live......one of the most beautiful valleys in the state! The fall would be a great time for you to plant. Aren't your falls generally mild temperature wise and a decent amount of rain? I lived in Eugene for a while. My wife went to the University. I wasn't so crazy about the average person living in Eugene, but I absolutely loved the valley. You should have ideal fall planting conditions.

farmer2


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## gdutson (Nov 12, 2009)

farmer2 said:


> You are very lucky to live where you live......one of the most beautiful valleys in the state! The fall would be a great time for you to plant. Aren't your falls generally mild temperature wise and a decent amount of rain? I lived in Eugene for a while. My wife went to the University. I wasn't so crazy about the average person living in Eugene, but I absolutely loved the valley. You should have ideal fall planting conditions.
> 
> farmer2


Ya...the falls are very mild with first freeze usually not until late November or early December. Rains usually begin in October. I am mainly concerned about getting enough germination and growth to make sure the new starts make it through winter.

Our summer temps can bounce around triple digits for 2-3 days but that is about the extent of the hot weather for our summers. Still tempted to do a late September planting.

Things have not changed...Eugene folks ARE different...and they like it that way. A little too weird for me though.







To each their own I guess...

Greg


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