Burning off a hay field

[B&M Farms]

I have a 18 acre hay field of tifton 85 I cut late September for the last time this year and We had some late warm weather so it has about a foot of growth on it. I was thinking about burning it off late February or early March right before greenup because I wanted to start with a clean first cutting next year. Its not fenced so grazing it off is not an option. I wanted to wait until the chances of freezes are over before I burned it off but has anyone else had any experience doing this with Bermuda grass. I was hoping someone might have a few pros and cons to doing this.

 

[jedstivers]

Burning is the best thing for it and it will green up quicker.

 

[Tim/South]

Burning is the best thing for it and it will green up quicker.

Also helps get rid of unwanted seeds. Greens up cleaner.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I'd burn it in early march. I think it would be the best thing you could do.

 

[kenny thomas]

Temp and weather is so different from Texas to Missouri or Virginia you might check more locally as to when is the best time to burn but most if not all warm season grasses will benefit from an occasional burn.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Yea, I have no idea when grass greens up in Texas, I like to burn fairly close to when things start to grow.

 

[kenny thomas]

Yea, I have no idea when grass greens up in Texas, I like to burn fairly close to when things start to grow.

Agree on that, they will be grazing when we start to see sprigs of green so im sure they would burn earlier than we would.

 

[Brute 23]

Just to throw it out there as another option you could disk it in.

 

[highgrit]

You sure as heck don't want a frost after you burn. It could cost you a cutting.