Growing grass seed

[ajd132]

Trying to learn abit about growing grass seed. Please tell me everything!

 

[Brisel]

Have you still got a stripper header?

 

[ajd132]

Have you still got a stripper header?

Yes, we have access to it. Don’t own it.

 

[Brisel]

Good. Cutting grass seed with a normal header will give you grey hair and high blood pressure! 2 feet forwards, 1 foot back...

 

[super4]

Your best bet is to speak to some of the seeds houses: like Baranbrug, Germinal, DLF seeds. A contract is a must and these are not easy to get.
On floor drying is a must. A stripper header is useful especially on the big hybrid/rotary combines, but it's certainly not without its own limitations. The disc headers look quite useful.

 

[Brisel]

What header do you cut your with @super4 ?

 

[ajd132]

Thanks. So when does it get planted? Could you zero till it into a growing spring barley crop? How strict are they on grassweeds?

 

[Brisel]

It will have to be free of blackgrass. I've no idea if you can clean it out with a colour sorter.

 

[super4]

What header do you cut your with @super4 ?

I cut with my standard vario New Holland. Cuts fine but no speed records. Biggest output increase was grain tank agitator. A steady day will see 25acres cut with my 24ft. A stripper header would probably do 50acres.

Grass weeds can cause issues. They dont really like blackgrass. Biggest issues would be rouge ryegrasses and Italians this could contaminate a seed crop to make it worthless, except for hay.
A lot of weeds can be cleaned out, but seed cleaning is expensive.
The margins are good when it goes well but it's far from risk free to grow. Seed contamination, wet weather at harvest, and loss of germination can leave you with no margin and a pile of seed only fit for bird food.

 

[super4]

Thanks. So when does it get planted? Could you zero till it into a growing spring barley crop? How strict are they on grassweeds?

There are a few growers who are dd ing.
Under sowing in spring barley works well for me.

 

[Grass And Grain]

I've a feeling some people cut it with a mower, leave to wilt, then pick up with a draper header. Never seen it done though.

 

[Chae1]

@Dan7626 grows it on farm he works at or used to. Would know about it.

 

[ajd132]

There are a few growers who are dd ing.
Under sowing in spring barley works well for me.

I was in Denmark in June looking around farms and there were quite a few doing this.

 

[z.man]

Have combined Timothy seed many times ,usually swath leave to dry then lift either with a draper header (old and disused) but more often just use the combine header(only 30acre a year) have also direct cut in some circumstances but high risk as one windy day will shake ripe grass seed very easily,not a fast job to cut expect around 60% combine output acres wise and best dried on floor

 

[Barry]

Thanks. So when does it get planted? Could you zero till it into a growing spring barley crop? How strict are they on grassweeds?

Just a couple of points having spoken to our Herbage Manager.. there are no field standards for blackgrass but there are certification standards at the seed plant but If you had blackgrass in the field you would probably get rejected that first year but if you silaged it you could well be ok the 2nd.

On floor drying is a must for our seed growers of grass and note that 1 tonne of grass takes up as much storage as 4 tonnes of wheat.

 

[Brisel]

You can't stock the grass seed very deep either. High resistance to airflow plus it heats up within hours of being harvested.

 

[ajd132]

I have access to a a nice drying floor barn at my grandfathers, I can put his crops in Camgrain and cover that cost myself. Does anyone have any financials on the job as rough guide?
Could you harvest it and then graze with sheep?

 

[Barry]

Have you got a merchant or breeder asking you to grow it ? If so they should be able to give you some numbers?

Or if you are just looking at it as a completely new exercise then I can get someone to talk to you.

 

[ollie989898]

I was under the impression they grew the grass for one year and just made hay from it and then harvested it in the second season?

I know it is possible to make hay from what is left over.

A man I spoke to who was doing it cut his crops twice, first with a stripper header and then with a conventional header.

 

[MattR]

Am I right in thinking that UK grass seed production is concentrated in one or two smallish regions? If so why?