Mulching with hay for weed control.

[r4eboxer]

Has anyone mulched with hay to prevent weeds and been successful? I am looking to cut my weeding down. Last year I used the black landscaping cloth and black plastic. It wasn't very successful as I still had lots of weeding.

I have two 4' x5' round bales of hay left over from the winter feed stores and want to see if using hay is a better option.

 

[skeeter9]

That kindof depends on what type of hay it is. Does it have seed heads in it? We've successfully used straw, but we always get lots of volunteers coming up around our hay stacks due to the number of seeds in the bales. Just something to think about . . .

 

[r4eboxer]

That kindof depends on what type of hay it is. Does it have seed heads in it? We've successfully used straw, but we always get lots of volunteers coming up around our hay stacks due to the number of seeds in the bales. Just something to think about . . .

hmm, well it's alfalfa, oat and something else. It's a good quality hay that I don't think went to seed, it's the first cutting. I guess I'm going to have to try it to find out. I might use the black cloth with the hay on top. I.DON'T.HAVE.TIME.FOR.WEEDS.

 

[lesa]

Can you let the chickens pick through it, to remove seeds- and then put it in the garden? If weeds grow up through the hay/straw they are very easy to pull. Much better than plastic or fabric, since you can just till it in, when you want to....

 

[catjac1975]

If it's free use it. It will be good if it's thick. Nothing is foolproof or workproof.

 

[peteyfoozer]

I use old hay on my walkway between the rows. I put it on really thick, then if anything does grow, its super easy to pull up because its so nice and damp underneath. Worked great for me

 

[chris09]

That kindof depends on what type of hay it is. Does it have seed heads in it? We've successfully used straw, but we always get lots of volunteers coming up around our hay stacks due to the number of seeds in the bales. Just something to think about . . .

hmm, well it's alfalfa, oat and something else. It's a good quality hay that I don't think went to seed, it's the first cutting. I guess I'm going to have to try it to find out. I might use the black cloth with the hay on top. I.DON'T.HAVE.TIME.FOR.WEEDS.

Are you sure its Oats? The reason I ask is that Oats is a straw not a hay.


Chris

 

[thistlebloom]

Are you sure its Oats? The reason I ask is that Oats is a straw not a hay.


Chris

Hmmm... I've fed tons of oat hay to my horses over the years. It's cut with the seed heads intact.

 

[Southern Gardener]

I use staw also and the weeds are so easy to pull.

 

[chris09]

Are you sure its Oats? The reason I ask is that Oats is a straw not a hay.


Chris

Hmmm... I've fed tons of oat hay to my horses over the years. It's cut with the seed heads intact.

The thing with feeding oats as a "hay" is that is has to be cut when it is still green and you have immature oat heads (seeds), also it's nutritional value is lower than that of Alfalfa or a Grass Hay mix. Most of the farmers around here use Oats as Straw after they harvest the seed, now there are a few that will use Straw in there Silage.


Chris