Can you grow your own small patch of timothy hay?

[jimmywalt]

I was wondering if we might be able to grow our own small patch of timothy hay...... I'm thinking in an area about 16' long by 4' wide. If so where do you get the seeds to grow this and what type of soil condition does it need?

I was thinking about growing some in our backyard garden.

Thank you!

 

[SA Farm]

I don't see why not. I regularly seed my 'salad bar' for my chickens with mixed seeds from the local feed store. I just have a sort of garden box, fill it with rabbit poo, and put the seed down. Water and wait

 

[jimmywalt]

I don't see why not. I regularly seed my 'salad bar' for my chickens with mixed seeds from the local feed store. I just have a sort of garden box, fill it with rabbit poo, and put the seed down. Water and wait

Where do you get the seeds to plant?

 

[Dood]

TSC should sell pasture grass mixes which will likely be 30% Timothy. The spread rate is roughly 20lb of seed per acre so for pure seed you may need to buy a small amount off a hay farmer.

They might also know of local agri seed suppliers.

You could also collect wild seeds but it is a bit late in the season for this.

 

[jimmywalt]

I found this about how to grow timothy hay. It also looks like they sell the seeds but they are very expensive compared to the amount we really would need. It might be better for us to just continue to buy bales as we need them.

http://www.heirloom-organics.com/guide/ ... grass.html

 

[MaggieJ]

Jimmywait, could you please add your state or province to your profile. Questions like this are dependent on climate, soil conditions and so forth, so knowing approximately where you are is important.

Timothy is easy to grow. We planted a patch of mixed alfalfa, timothy and red clover in 2004. It was about 20 feet by 60 feet and it produced well for many years. Eventually other weeds crept in and the clover and alfalfa dwindled, but is certainly made feeding the rabbits easy. We used it mainly fresh as forage, but there is no reason why it can't be cut as hay.

Your feed store should have timothy seed and here, at least, you can buy it in quantities as small as a quarter of a pound. It's in bulk and they just weigh it out.

 

[jimmywalt]

Jimmywait, could you please add your state or province to your profile. Questions like this are dependent on climate, soil conditions and so forth, so knowing approximately where you are is important.

Timothy is easy to grow. We planted a patch of mixed alfalfa, timothy and red clover in 2004. It was about 20 feet by 60 feet and it produced well for many years. Eventually other weeds crept in and the clover and alfalfa dwindled, but is certainly made feeding the rabbits easy. We used it mainly fresh as forage, but there is no reason why it can't be cut as hay.

Your feed store should have timothy seed and here, at least, you can buy it in quantities as small as a quarter of a pound. It's in bulk and they just weigh it out.

Hi. I'm in Michigan along Lake Michigan. If you look at your left hand (shaped like the state) we are about where your pinkie connects to your hand.

 

[MaggieJ]

That's fine, Jimmywalt, but do you expect us to remember that with all the members we have? Add it to your profile... It only takes a minute!

I see no reason why you could not grow timothy, alfalfa or red clover or any mix thereof. Talk to the folks at your local feed stores and ask them about seed. As I recall, seeding our plot cost us less than $12.

 

[JessiL]

I agree that any decent rural feed store should have pasture and hay seed for sale, maybe even bulk so you can get the reasonable amount you need. But how are you going to harvest and store your Timothy? I'm curious, as I havebeen cutting our pasture with a scythe, curing the mixed grass and legumes in the sun, but how to store the loose hay. Can I stash it in feed bags? I only have a little room to pile it out of the weather.