How many times do you turn mowed grass in a day (making haylage)

[myhorsefred]

Hi all, just wondering how many times in a day you would turn please?

Am trying to beat the weather and we have turned 4 times today.

thanks

 

[dotty1]

My haylage was turned once then baled but it was done in the very hot week

 

[FfionWinnie]

It depends. If it's damp weather you don't touch it as far as possible. Only turn it if it's going to improve it unless it's been a total disaster and needs turned so it doesn't go black!

 

[Polos Mum]

I don't even turn hay more than once a day - interested to see how much difference people think it makes. If it's wet/ dewy then you're just turning the dampness back underneath
We need it to be turned say 1-2pm (at it's driest) so the dry stuff goes under and the wet stuff comes out - early am and it's covered in dew same from 4/5pm this time of year

 

[JillA]

I wouldn't have thought there was much benefit in turning it more than twice at most in a day - it won't dry that much in between unless the weather is baking hot and then it will dry right through anyway

 

[HBB]

My supplier, who makes top quality hay, turns his 2-4 times a day depending on the weather conditions.

 

[FfionWinnie]

It totally depends what area you are in as well. In Scotland there's been hay lying in the ground for a month in places...!

 

[Dry Rot]

Hay making is an art and art is not created by following rules!

 

[myhorsefred]

Thank you everyone.

 

[only_me]

It tends to be round here that hayledge is turned once or twice and hay 2-3 times, but both are never turned more than once a day as it is turned to dry which needs time

Although it can also depend if you are hiring someone to do it as then it has to be done on their schedule & also depends on weather forecast

 

[twiggy2]

depends on the weather