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When to make hay

Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2023 5:27 pm
by Yvette
I would normally leave making hay to as late in the summer as possible- last year September. But everything has gone to seed this year already because of the drought. Do I need to bring hay making forward and do it now? Any decision to make hay will no doubt lead to torrential storms :-)
Many thanks in advance for advice
Yvette

Re: When to make hay

Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2023 10:22 pm
by Donna Cox
Once the rain comes (assuming it will!) the grass will bounce back again so they'll be plenty of it for a hay cut later. If you have a lot of Yellow Rattle in the field it will only suppress the grass growth until it's set seed. Then the plant will die back, as it's an annual, and the grasses will vigorously grow back.

Those in Countryside Stewardship schemes, like myself, can't cut their fields before the 15th of July anyway.