Timothy hay, a cool-season perennial bunchgrass, is a highly valued forage crop. This grass is prized for its high fiber content and palatability, making it a suitable feed source for animals requiring a high-roughage diet. Establishing a successful stand requires careful attention to soil preparation, planting technique, and first-year management practices.
Preparing the Field for Timothy Hay
Timothy hay thrives in cool, moist conditions and is best suited to well-drained loams or clay loams, though it can tolerate heavier soils. It is less successful in drought-prone areas due to its relatively shallow, fibrous root system.
Comprehensive soil testing is mandatory to determine current nutrient levels and acidity. Timothy performs optimally in a slightly acidic to neutral soil, with a target pH range of 5.8 to 7.0. If the soil test reveals a low pH, agricultural lime should be applied well in advance of planting, ideally six months or more before seeding, allowing sufficient time to react and raise the pH.
The seedbed must be firm, fine, and free of weeds for successful germination. Preparation involves plowing, followed by disking or harrowing to break up clods and create a fine texture. The field should be rolled or cultipacked before planting to ensure the surface is firm, which is crucial for achieving good seed-to-soil contact. Pre-seeding application of a broad-spectrum herbicide may be necessary to control perennial weeds, ensuring the young timothy does not face overwhelming competition.
Optimal Timing and Seeding Techniques
Late summer or early fall planting is generally preferred, as it allows the grass to develop a deep root system before winter. The goal is to sow the seed at least six weeks before the area’s average first hard frost to allow the seedlings to stabilize.
Early spring planting is an alternative, but this timing increases the risk of intense weed competition and potential losses from summer heat and drought. The seed must be placed extremely shallowly due to its small size. The optimal seeding depth is between 1/4 and 1/2 inch (0.65 to 1.25 cm). Planting any deeper than 1 inch significantly reduces the germination rate and stand density.
Seeding rates for a pure timothy stand typically range from 8 to 12 pounds of pure live seed per acre. The most precise method of planting is using a specialized grass drill, which accurately controls both depth and spacing. If a drill is unavailable, broadcast seeding followed by light harrowing or using a cultipacker is necessary to press the seeds into the soil and ensure seed-to-soil contact.
Using a light seeding of a nurse crop, such as oats, is a common practice. The nurse crop provides temporary weed suppression and helps protect the young seedlings from wind and sun. To minimize competition, the nurse crop’s seeding rate should be reduced by at least 30%. It must be harvested early for silage or greenfeed before it heavily shades the timothy.
Caring for the Young Stand
First-year management focuses on minimizing competition and promoting robust root development. Weed control is particularly important during the establishment year to prevent aggressive species from dominating the slow-growing seedlings. This involves specific herbicide application or carefully timed mowing to clip the tops of taller weeds without cutting the timothy too low.
The fertilization schedule should prioritize nutrients required for root growth and stand persistence. A soil test guides the application of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) to build soil fertility and support the shallow root system. Applying high amounts of nitrogen (N) in the first year should be avoided, as this encourages the growth of competitive grasses and can lead to lodging of the nurse crop.
Nitrogen application is generally delayed until the stand is fully established, or applied lightly after the first cut in the year following seeding. Growers should monitor for common issues such as rust, a fungal disease that can affect foliage in humid conditions. The most significant management concern remains preventing damage to the plant’s basal corms, the bulb-like structures that store energy for regrowth.
The first official hay harvest is typically not taken until the year following the initial planting, allowing the stand a full season to mature. The first cut should be done later than subsequent harvests to ensure stand longevity. Harvesting should occur just before or at the early bloom stage, as this timing balances high forage quality with maximum yield and promotes the health of the perennial stand.