Vetch mowing

[dennisleary]

I have about 20 acres of purple vetch in flower - does anyone have an idea how much time I have before it sets seed? I'd say some of it is flowering and the rest is about to. I don't want it to become a weed forever - but we just had some rain, and I want to wait a week or two before getting out in the field. Thanks

 

[Gary Fowler]

Not a clue, but why mow it down. Let it seed and it will come back every fall for some good winter grazing. Vetch is a good cover crop for farm land and if turned under in the spring it provides a lot of nitrogen to the soil (needed for good plant growth.

 

[Bird]

I, too, am curious as to why you want to mow it. I'm afraid I don't know much of anything about vetch, except when I was a kid, Dad planted nearly 10 acres in vetch and rye for winter pasture for the milk cow and my horse. I also had to help him move the bee hives down there for the winter. But I guess what we had was white vetch, and of course it's been more than 60 years ago. But I do know we never mowed it.

 

[Ed of all trades]

We used to plant oats and harry vetch for hay and it did great. We tried to cut it with a cickle bar mower and it was a mess. Dad got mad and jumped on the tractor with the old crimper on it and just crimped it down. Worked well. Vetch adds a lot to the soil and we had to quit growing it because it did so well. We had a very good year and the stuff was 6 ft tall. To much for a jubilee and a bailer to handle. Ed

 

[stuckmotor]

Vetch grows wild around here. I guess it could be a problem if you're trying to raise something else but being a cow man, I'm happy to have it.

 

[mattv1]

some types of vetch (crown vetch for example) are toxic for horses and some other livestock. They also spread like crazy, and the spreading is so thick that it will choke out other pasture grasses and clovers.

 

[OldMcDonald]

As mattv1 says crown vetch is toxic to horses (but not ruminants) so it is important that you identify what you have. If it is a Sativa species (includes Purple Vetch, American Vetch, etc) then you have a very valuable forage plant. If it is crown vetch then you have a problem. The Sativas make excellent hay, particularly if sown with oats. Any chance of a close up photo?