Its advantages in your garden? It resists rotting, it doesn't pack down and smother plants, and it's not weedy because seeds never sprout. Salt marsh hay requires the saltwater tidal changes to germinate and grow, and your garden isn't a salt marsh. You can find salt marsh hay at garden centers through the Northeast.Sep 2, 2011
Is salt marsh hay good for mulch?
Salt hay, or salt marsh hay, consists of grasses harvested from salt marshes. Their wiry stems do not mat down or rot as quickly as straw, and any seeds that are present will not germinate because they require wet, saline soil. Where it is available, salt hay is the best choice for mulching.Nov 8, 2010
How do you store salt marsh hay?
It's smart to pick up salt marsh hay in November but wait to spread it until late December or early January. Store it somewhere dry if possible so that if it rains and then gets cold you won't be trying to spread a block of ice onto your plants.Nov 6, 2018
What type of hay is best for mulch?
Aside from well-aged compost, hay is arguably the best mulch for a vegetable garden. Like straw, it's a good insulator, effective against weeds, and breaks down quickly to enrich the soil. Alfalfa hay is especially good, because as a legume, it provides nitrogen to your soil.
What is salt marsh hay good for?
In Colonial times, salt marsh hay was harvested as a valuable crop and used for animal fodder and bedding, as well as mulch for gardens. Its advantages in your garden: It resists rotting. It doesn't pack down and smother plants.
Where is marsh hay found?
It can be found in marshlands in other areas of the world as an introduced species and often a harmful noxious weed or invasive species. It is a hay-like grass found in the upper areas of brackish coastal salt marshes.
Does marsh hay have seeds?
It resists rotting. It doesn't pack down and smother plants. It is slower to break down than straw, so it will remain a good, in-take mulch for many months. It is weed seed free.
Does salting wet hay work?
In the past, some farmers have applied salt to the surface of hay that was baled wet, but research has shown little benefit from salting. While the theory is good, the amount of salt needed would be very large and expensive, and would likely reduce the palatability of the hay.
How do you salt wet hay bales?
The trick it to stack the hay on edge (I usually stack all my hay on edge anyway) and sprinkle a little salt between the layers. It doesn't take much - a 50 pound bag will do 3-4 hundred bales. Learned this from a retired farmer years ago who used to do this 40-50 years ago..
How do you save wet hay bales?
Cut the bales and fluff them, offering each bit of hay excellent air circulation. Keep the wet hay in a dry area, where the water can evaporate quickly. Turn the bale two or three times per day to keep the evaporation moving along quickly.
How do you keep wet hay from molding?
Use net wrap or plastic twine spaced no more than 4 in. apart on round bales to maintain bale shape and provide a smooth surface that encourages water runoff.” Anderson recommends storing hay on elevated, well-drained spots that will prevent the bales from soaking up moisture from wet soil or standing water.Jul 1, 2014
How much is a bale of hay 2020?
Small square bales averaged $4.60 a bale (range of $2.00 to $6.00). Large square bale straw averaged $64.00 per bale (a range of $40.00 to $90.00). Large round bale straw averaged $58.00 per bale (a range of $40.00 - $85.00). In Nebraska, hay sold steady, demand is light in 2020.
What are current hay prices?
Grinding alfalfa, $170-$180. New crop 2021 grinder hay, $165-$175 delivered. Ground and delivered locally to feed lots and dairies, $180-$195 with instances at $220-$235. Grass hay, large 4x4 squares, $100-$110.