Learn the easy tricks and Tips to Grow Timothy Hay to nurture thriving, nutritious grass for your beloved pets.
Discover the essential Tips to Grow Timothy Hay in easy steps with this comprehensive guide for a lush and nutritious diet for your pet friends.
Common Names: Herd grass, Herd’s grass, Meadow cat’s tail, Phleum pratense, Timothy, common cat’s tail, and Timothy grass
Botanical Name: Phleum pratense
USDA Zones: 3-9
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What is Timothy Hay?
Timothy hay is a type of grass that is commonly used as food for animals. It grows well in cooler weather and lasts for many years. The grass is named after Timothy Hanson, who introduced it in the 1700s as a good grass for animals to graze on. It originally comes from Europe, temperate Asia, and North Africa. Timothy hay can grow in various climates, including cold areas in the north. Taking care of Timothy grass is easy in most places.
Timothy Hay has many advantages. It is widely used as hay for cows and horses. When mixed with alfalfa, it becomes nutritious food for sheep and other grazing animals. People also make it into food for guinea pigs, rabbits, and other pets.
When Timothy hay blooms, you can easily spot it by its long, narrow seed head. The blooming usually happens in late spring to early summer or about 50 days after planting the seeds. If you plant it in early spring, you can harvest the grass for hay multiple times during the growing season.
The plant has a shallow, fibrous root system, and the lower parts of the stems form a bulb that stores carbohydrates. The leaves are smooth, pale green, and hairless. When the leaves are young, they are rolled up, but as they grow, they become flat with a pointed tip and rough edges. Each leaf can be around 11 to 17 inches (27.5-43 cm) long. The seed heads are about 15 inches (38 cm) long and have spiky florets that turn into tiny seeds.
In many states, you can commonly see large, long-lasting stands of Timothy grass growing in fertile lowland fields.
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How to Grow Timothy Hay
Propagation and Planting Timothy Grass
- To plant Timothy grass seeds, prepare a clean area by removing all the weeds using a hoe.
- Then, spread the seeds over the soil, covering about half of the surface.
- Gently rake the area to bury the seeds slightly, not more than half an inch deep.
- Afterward, water the soil slowly and keep it moist until the seeds start to grow.
- For growing Timothy hay, you can sow the seeds in either spring or late summer.
- Alternatively, you can plant the seeds in early fall.
TIP: Timothy hay is usually planted in the spring or summer. It takes about 50 days to grow enough for harvesting in most places. If you want to plant it later in the year, the best time is at least six weeks before the first fall frost. This way, the grass will have enough time to grow and become established before the cold weather arrives.
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Growing Conditions for Timothy Hay
Location
Grow Timothy hay on a flat area that gets some shade. This type of grass grows well in cooler weather and doesn’t need much attention or special care.
Soil
Timothy grass prefers sandy or clay-rich soil. It can handle wet conditions and can also survive for a short time in slightly dry conditions.
Water
This grass doesn’t grow well in very hot or dry areas. It needs consistent moisture to develop and grow properly. Hence keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.
NOTE: During drought periods, avoid walking on the timothy hay field because the grass has delicate and shallow roots that can be easily damaged.
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Timothy Hay Care
Fertilizer
In the spring and after harvesting, give the hay fertilizer with lots of nitrogen. If you are growing timothy hay with legumes, don’t use nitrogen fertilizer. To ensure you use the right amount of fertilizer, it’s a good idea to test the soil.
Harvesting
You can harvest the Timothy hay before more than half of the plants have flowers. Leave some leaves at the bottom to support the next growth. You can collect the hay again after 30 to 40 days from the first harvest.
