# Weed control by brush hoggin hayfields this late in Year?



## whitmerlegacyfarm

Hey guys, i was thinking it was a little late to spray here in PA, so i was curious if i bush hog a few of my small fields that have some broadleaf weeds in if this will help out? Will it hurt the grass hay to cut it this late? Or can i still spray some 2,4D? Still suppose to get up into the mid 70s towards end of week.

Thanks guys.


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## Canderson012

Most Georgians that cut hay have already got their last cut, I imagine it should be getting colder earlier for you guys. Just wait to cut and spray till next spring for weed control


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## Vol

whitmerlegacyfarm said:


> Hey guys, i was thinking it was a little late to spray here in PA, so i was curious if i bush hog a few of my small fields that have some broadleaf weeds in if this will help out? Will it hurt the grass hay to cut it this late? Or can i still spray some 2,4D? Still suppose to get up into the mid 70s towards end of week.
> 
> Thanks guys.


Fall is a great time to spray for broadleaf weeds(2-4d)....just need daytime temps in the 60's or more for about 3 days.....gives your field a nice start come spring.

Regards, Mike


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

Ok thanks a lot i think i will spray some 2,4D then cause i still go some left over. The grasses are about 8" high or so should i still mow and then spray or just spray and get what i can?

Thanks again guys


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## dubltrubl

I don't know about your area, but down where I am, I wouldn't waste my time,fuel, and wear and tear on mowing this time of year. I have sprayed as late as the week after thanksgiving and it did help going into the spring. I know it goes against the grain down here, but I almost always clip the tops of our hay patches in early spring, especially if I can't burn 'em. Then I give 'em a shot of fertilizer. Makes for a more even cut come haying time and nicer windrows and seems to supress the weeds some. Just my $.02
Regards,
Steve


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## mlappin

Same thing I've found over and over on the last cutting of the year, it may look good and tall, but once it's raked and baled, you don't often get near as much as you think while mowing. The field I finished last night I got 66 4x5's the previous cutting but only 23 this time off 18 acres.


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## tnwalkingred

This is interesting topic. After getting low yields on late cuttings this year and last I thought it might be best to just clip the fields down in the fall and not waste the fuel to run over them 3 times or more to get the hay up. I hope to size down my operation next year and only sell large round bales to a selected few customers. Hopefully I can get enough hay off the first cutting to provide for my own needs and the select few I wanna sell to. This will allow me more time to focus on managing a my small square business. Who knows I may only cut hay once in the spring next year on the fields I want to roll and clip them the rest of the year. This might put more nutrients back into the field and certainly would save alot of fuel costs. Thoughts on this????

--Kyle


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

So of my fields are like 10-12" high and i defently don't have the weather to bale it, so i was thinking clipping it down w/ bush hog may thin the weeds down, but i didn't know if it would hurt the grasses incount of the frosts starting in the early mornings.


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## urednecku

IF the weeds are taller than the grass you could just top the weeds to keep them from seeding out. I don't know anything about the grasses & their winter hardiness in PA, so I won't try to suggest anything else.


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## JD3430

We ge a whole different crop of winter weeds in the off season. They tend to be low growing.


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## NDVA HAYMAN

Weed control is something that we all have to work at. I don't like spreading fertilizer to feed weeds. I would get with your local university or agronomist and come up with a good program for controling the type of weeds that you have. Mike


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## dubltrubl

NDVA HAYMAN said:


> Weed control is something that we all have to work at. I don't like spreading fertilizer to feed weeds. I would get with your local university or agronomist and come up with a good program for controling the type of weeds that you have. Mike


I'm with you on that one Mike. I hate feeding weeds! We try to spray any herbicide prior to fertilizing as close after cutting as possible. The goal is to hit the weeds in the early re-growth stage and give the grass a chance to outcompete the weeds. An ongoing battle though. And lord help you if you miss an opportunity down in these parts. If you do, the weeds come back with a vengence! I maintain that anyone down here that claims they have a 100% weed free field is simply lying. They may be suppressed, but they're there. If not dealt with, they surely be back.
Steve


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