It may feel like summer has just begun, but harvest for perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, and timothy is on the horizon.
For those getting ready for the upcoming harvest, BrettYoung Seed Production Specialist Rebecca McCleary shared some tips to help you make the most of your harvest.
Swath Timing #
Producing forage and turf seed is different than more common crops like wheat and canola. Most grasses are ready to be harvested in late July or early August, but knowing the exact right time to get in the swather is crucial.
Watch for colour change in your plants — when your tall fescue or perennial ryegrass crop starts looking tanner in colour, you’re close to swathing. For perennial ryegrass specifically, McCleary said you can test by grabbing a few seed heads and shaking the seed into your palm. If the crop is ready to be harvested, the seeds should shatter relatively easily, and you should end up with a handful of mostly tan-coloured seed. A few green seeds are OK, said McCleary, but lots of green seeds mean the crop isn’t ready to come off just yet.
“If you think you’re getting close to swath timing, you can always do a test cut,” said McCleary. “The stubble should be tan or white-ish in colour. If the stubble is mainly green, give it some more time.”
For tall fescue crops, the seed heads will ripen and the stem beneath them will start to turn colour, indicating it’s time to swath. In timothy, you’ll start to see what’s called “tipping”, which is when the tip of the timothy heads starts to shell seed, leaving a thin core sticking up from the top of the head. This, McCleary said, is a good indicator it’s time to start swathing.
“Crops can change a lot in a day,” she said. “When it’s getting close to swath timing, keep a close eye on your field so you don’t miss the ideal window.”
McCleary also recommends swathing early in the morning or late at night to help reduce shatter losses.
Harvesting #
With good weather conditions, your forage or turf seed crop should be ready to harvest five to seven days after swathing. Combining the crops can be a slow process because you want to minimize plug-ups as there’s a lot of material moving through, but that doesn’t mean it’s a difficult one.
Grasses are dry at around 12% and can be around 20% dockage when they come off the field. McCleary has some growers who drop pans to help minimize seed losses and reduce the dockage.
She said if the weather doesn’t cooperate, grass crops can be harvested at slightly higher moisture if needed, then aerated and turned in the bin to get the moisture down to where it needs to be. She recommends growers use a moisture tester to determine this and also recommends aerating and turning your seed in the bin occasionally to reduce the risk of any hot spots.
| Crop Species | Signs of Maturity | Swath Timing | Harvest Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perennial Ryegrass | – Crop is tan in colour – Seeds shatter easily when shaken into palm – Mainly ripe seeds – Tan/white stubble when cutting | Late July – Early August | ~ 7 days after swathing |
| Tall Fescue | – Crop is tan in colour – Mainly ripe seeds -Stem below seedhead is tan in colour | Mid – Late July | 5 – 7 days after swathing |
| Timothy | – Crop is tan in colour | Early August | 5 – 7 days after swathing |
