What determines when grass runs to head?

[Headless chicken]

I should really know the in depth answer to this but don’t so looking to the experts.

I know stress has a factor as well as time but with a slow spring do we get a later heading date?

 

[More to life]

no will be within a day or two

 

[devonbeef]

I should really know the in depth answer to this but don’t so looking to the experts.

I know stress has a factor as well as time but with a slow spring do we get a later heading date?

does not seem to be the case, seems to head similar time every year i find, but no expert

 

[More to life]

Was thinking this morning there's going to be some big piles of average Italian silage made this year in the SW

Edit: Average might be optimistic.

 

[som farmer]

at this rate, might have a bit of soil contamination !!!!!

grass heads at its given date, within a day or two, every year.

we find prg will just push up seed heads, when we dry out, which makes it pretty useless in june/sept period.

 

[Headless chicken]

no will be within a day or two

so is it all genetics then?

 

[More to life]

so is it all genetics then?

Must be, different varieties head between mid may to early june

 

[M-J-G]

Was thinking this morning there's going to be some big piles of average Italian silage made this year in the SW

Edit: Average might be optimistic.

So you believe it will be dry enough this year to cut silage?

 

[More to life]

So you believe it will be dry enough this year to cut silage?

100% but I not predicting when.

 

[YorkshireAndrew]

so is it all genetics then?

That’s how I understand it , different varieties of grass go to head at certain times .

 

[Kiwi Pete]

so is it all genetics then?

Yes, depending on daylength/photoperiod for timing. It's around 10th November down here when the PRG starts to show

They've bred cultivars for early late heading so [in theory] your farm doesn't all head at once.
In reality you just pay more for grassseed and the farm all heads at once, often more than once (this is where management/stress reduction plays a part).

 

[Farmer Keith]

Hours of daylight was always my understanding but obviously stress can move that forward. An April drought is looking unlikely at the moment!

 

[Tex]

I always find it’s the strength of the sun combined with maturity of grass. Very young Grass will rarely head quickly, you’ll wee bits and pieces but If you’ve a dry spell around end of May beginning off June, with grass well grown, it can head quickly within 24/48hrs.

 

[crashbox]

Was thinking this morning there's going to be some big piles of average Italian silage made this year in the SW

Edit: Average might be optimistic.

Not sure if the piles will be that big...

Can't even get the fert on, and it's April already!

 

[DrDunc]

Grass?

Heading???

Wet?????

Last week

At least the geese are finally starting to bugger off

 

[soapsud]

We found that even rhizome weeds like cooch go to head in late spring if its been hammered all winter by the sheep. It's been a while but I remember short heads in late April. We sprayed off and reseeded.

 

[bigw]

I dont think the heading date changes much from the dates that are given for each variety.

 

[frederick]

Was thinking this morning there's going to be some big piles of average Italian silage made this year in the SW

Edit: Average might be optimistic.

Don't quite understand what's happened to make that the case so far. Ours is looking well has all its Nitrogen on. As long as the weather eventually changes it has all the hallmarks on making the same quality as normal in about 20-25 days time.

 

[som farmer]

Don't quite understand what's happened to make that the case so far. Ours is looking well has all its Nitrogen on. As long as the weather eventually changes it has all the hallmarks on making the same quality as normal in about 20-25 days time.

as long as the weather changes ..........................................

they give it warm, and showers next 10 days, then drier and still warm

that's if they are right, if not, first cut will be compromised.

 

[Pistonbroke]

So you believe it will be dry enough this year to cut silage?

Maybe we should be buying up all the cheap hay that's about