Author Topic: Getting rid of old hay (Read 14626 times)

UPoneacre · « **on:** April 01, 2015, 07:29:45 pm »

Last summer we cut hay off our small field, had no use for it oureslves and none of our neighbours wanted it. As a result it has lain piled up in the corner, sheeted over, and I now need to dispose of it somehow. The sheet has leaked so most of it is fairly damp, if not wet.

The problem is - how? I had thought about composting but there's too much of it for us to accomodate at present and we need to shift it fairly quickly due to new fences/ track construction in progress.

Anyone got any suggestions?

stufe35 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 01, 2015, 07:34:42 pm »

A match, or a friendly farmers muck heap ?

Thyme · « **Reply #2 on:** April 01, 2015, 08:28:02 pm »

Mulch for veg gardens?

honeyend · « **Reply #3 on:** April 01, 2015, 09:33:25 pm »

Unless you can take to the dump as green waste, I would dry it out as best you can and have a bonfire.

GeorgieB82 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 01, 2015, 09:36:41 pm »

Garden mulch or bonfire

Fleecewife · « **Reply #5 on:** April 02, 2015, 01:23:03 am »

It does burn brilliantly. We're currently using old hay to start bonfires for burning off hedge trimmings, which we have an enormous pile of.

We also use it to make little three legged shelters for lambs, like the Isle of Man three legged thing. They can courie down in there and it keeps them right out of the wind. They also leap over them during the mad half hour. The hay will rot down and disappear completely over time.

Last year we had a massive bonfire, well three giant bonfires in fact, to get rid of some mouldy hay. That burnt the grass off completely so we had to re-seed those patches.

We have used old hay as a mulch around the potatoes (laying 6" deep leaves of it to block out the light totally), with polythene over it. There are lots of weed seeds in hay, but they don't seem to be a problem treated tis way.
I wanted to try composting it, but like you, there isn't really room to do so much.

Foobar · « **Reply #6 on:** April 02, 2015, 11:48:26 am »

I've recently spread a load around the place, anywhere thats vaguely wet - filled in some gate openings that were a bit squidgy etc. Spread it thin and it will soon disappear. Or as the others have said burn it.

pgkevet · « **Reply #7 on:** April 02, 2015, 05:23:11 pm »

Quote from: Foobar on April 02, 2015, 11:48:26 am

I've recently spread a load around the place, anywhere thats vaguely wet - filled in some gate openings that were a bit squidgy etc. Spread it thin and it will soon disappear. Or as the others have said burn it.

Agree.
Personally I;ve got about 20 bales spare and I shall spread them over this years fallow veggie patch, run the topper over it a few times during the year, spray down in autumn and plough it all in for next season. Yes, potential weed seed issues but my veggie patch is i a corner of hay meadow anyway. I let nature and the worms do my composting.

UPoneacre · « **Reply #8 on:** April 03, 2015, 11:18:55 am »

Thank you all - looks like I'm in for a busy Easter. Most of the hay is fairly wet and I'll probably end up distributing it around the field edge under hedges or when creaating the new veg patch, tho' that's a way down the job list after new fencing, gates etc.

Thought when I retired that I was going smallholding for a quiet, easy life

!!

Fleecewife · « **Reply #9 on:** April 03, 2015, 11:58:18 am »

<<< Thought when I retired that I was going smallholding for a quiet, easy life

!! >>>

clydesdaleclopper · « **Reply #10 on:** April 03, 2015, 03:45:46 pm »

Do you have a spot where you might like to plant some trees or hedging next year? If so lay the hay down really thickly over the area and leave it be. It will kill off the grass and weeds and the worms will incorporate it into the soil so you have a lovely spot to plant next year.

Buffy the eggs layer · « **Reply #11 on:** April 03, 2015, 03:56:54 pm »

You could spread compost accelerator over it and then hose it or pray for rain. use it as a weed suppressant and moisture retainer around plants or work it into areas of heavy clay soil for better drainage. Shame that you are not near by. I would have taken it as bedding and shelters. Also as an assault course for the lambs as an alternative to climbing on their mums!

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #12 on:** April 03, 2015, 04:05:01 pm »

Lay it down anywhere you have a patch of persistent weeds (nettles, for example), use it to mulch potato plants rather than earthing up, use it as one-season paths in the vegetable garden.

UPoneacre · « **Reply #13 on:** April 04, 2015, 12:00:36 pm »

Thanks both.

I like the idea of using it as weed suppressant - I've got an area by the back hedge in the field which grows nettles and little else - had planned to top it repeatedly to kill them off, but doing it with the hay sounds a much better idea so that's where it's all going.