planting oats for oat hay

[hopalong]

I have about 5 acresi am considering planting oats in for some oat hay, when do you plant, i am in Az so not sure if we are looking at soil temps or timed planting, i will get some frost in mid to late december into mid to late january, may not even mow it just turn a few head on it.

Thanks

Ed

 

[leanin' H]

We plant oats as quick as we can work the ground in the spring. And we get late frosts till june most years. Doesnt seem to bother oats much.

 

[Justin]

i normally plant around 200 acres of oats for hay every year. i like to get the seed in the ground by the 15th of April if conditions allow it. if you hay it, try to get it knocked down while it is in the dough stage. makes great feed, we've been doing it for years. depending on the growing conditions, you may want to have it tested for nitrates.

 

[hopalong]

thanks. kinda looks like i could get it in the ground in late jan or so never get any hard frosts after the end of jan, not sure 5 acres is worthj

 

[Denny]

every acre is worth it.

 

[floyd]

Ever try haybet barley? I just hate oat "escapes".

 

[allen57]

Hopalong....I doubt your climate is the same as South Dakota planting dates won't be the same either. No offense meant to you Justin....just trying to point out different planting times across the country.
If all you get is a little frost and nothing that will freeze it out you can plant it as the summer temperatures start to turn cool if you have the moisture.

We plant in late September to early October. Usually start grazing mid November and start baling in April. You do run a risk of a killing freeze if it gets down into the single digits for an extended period of time, but that is rare in these parts.

 

[HAY MAKER]

Plant oats after we get through balin the cane type grasses..........
Actually what we do weather permitting is bale what ever we planted that year,run the cows on the stubble as long as we can.
Then about sept.plant oats,let the hunters hunt the oats fields,after huntin season we then run stock on it through winter,when the pastures green up enough to support stock,run em outa the oats fields to pasture,fertilize the oats,pray for rain then bale the oat hay.
good luck