How long does grass need to dry before baling?

It basically takes about three days of good weather to cure hay. This can be a challenge in late May or early June. A good strategy is to mow just before or right after a rain, because of the likelihood of good weather for the next few days.

How long after cutting hay can you bale it?

Proper dry matter content for chopping haylage can often be achieved within 24 hours as compared to three to four days for dry hay.

What happens to hay when it gets wet before baling?

Added moisture from rainfall can also cause growth of microbial organisms. These organisms metabolize carbohydrates and can thus further reduce forage quality. Furthermore, baled wet hay can combust due to the temperature increase caused by microbial growth – putting a producer at risk of barn fire.

How dry does hay need to be baked?

When hay is baled, it should not be higher than 18 to 22 percent moisture. At higher levels of moisture, bales lose large amounts of dry matter (Figure 1) caused by excessive heating and molding (Figure 2). In severe cases, spontaneous combustion is possible.

Can hay be too dry to bale?

While hay with exceptionally low moisture might not be at risk of growing mold and bacteria, that’s because much of that hay’s nutritional value is already gone. When hay is too dry before baling, the leaves of the forage become stiff and brittle, making them much more likely to fall off.

Can you bale wet grass?

If the grass has been on the ground for a day or two in wet weather, watch out for a few hours drying to get rid of surface rainwater and bale as soon as possible. Working in poor ground conditions causes a great deal of soil compaction with consequences for grass growth and grazing potential.

Can you cut wet grass for hay?

When plants are cut for hay, they do not immediately die. As long as moisture is above 40 percent, they will continue to respire – exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide – a process that burns energy. Sometimes, rain will not reduce hay quality significantly if the hay has adequate time to dry and cure prior to baling.

Can you mow hay with dew on the grass?

Now as for nutrient value, the plants sugar content is highest at dusk but because of moisture we usually don’t want to cut hay at night. The best time is to start as soon as dew is off in the morning. Don’t over work the hay, especially if it is alfalfa or clover. You lose leaf material.

Can grass hay get too dry?

To make good hay, enough moisture must be present to keep all the leaves intact. Too dry, and they shatter and fall off during the baling process. Too wet, and hay will heat and mold. Plants that are cut and baled for hay tend to lose some of their vitamins and protein if they become too mature or dry.

Can you over dry hay?

When hay doesn’t have enough moisture When hay is too dry before baling, the leaves of the forage become stiff and brittle, making them much more likely to fall off. In many cases, a significant portion of hay’s nutritive value lies in the leafy portions of the herbs used to make the hay.

Can you cut and bale hay the same day?

In a trial at the University of Wisconsin Arlington Research Station (Figure 2) where alfalfa was put into a wide swath it reached 65 percent moisture in about eight hours and could be harvested for haylage the same day as cutting.

When should I cut back my grasses?

When temperatures start to drop the plant will die back, leaving the dried foliage, stalks, and seed heads. The general rule that you should cut back the grasses before the next growing season, so that the new year’s growth will be more vigorous and healthy.

Can ornamental grasses be left in tact through the winter?

Especially when left in tact through late fall and early winter. When left to stand in the fall and early winter, ornamental grasses can provide great interest in the landscape. Although grasses can be cut back safely anytime from fall to late spring, allowing them to stand throughout most of the winter has several advantages.

What happens if you cut your grass too much?

Cutting more than this can have a negative effect on the growth of the grass and may stunt root development in new grass as well. When preparing for the last cut of the season, accomplish a lower overall height through more frequent mowings and slight reductions in grass height with each cut until it is approximately 2 inches tall.

How do you dry grasses before pressing?

If you have to wait to get home before you can press your grasses, be sure to take along a bucket of water to keep them fresh until you get them home. Before drying any grasses, make sure that they are mature, fully developed, and stable. One of the simplest and oldest methods of drying grasses is to hang them upside down.