Do Hay Bales Go Bad?

With too little moisture, hay becomes brittle, loses nutritional value, and is unpalatable for livestock. With too much moisture,

hay can spoil

while baled hay can experience thermal expansion—causing it to combust and creating a severe hazard.

Is 3 year old hay still good?

If the hay was of good-quality when harvested and stored in a dry place with sufficient airflow,

hay is likely suitable for consumption for two to three years

. … Do not expect two- or three-year-old hay to contribute significantly to vitamin A nutrition.

Do hay bales last forever?

You can store hay indefinitely if the stack is managed correctly

; although, in humid climates, using hay within three years of harvest is ideal. Hay growers need to bale it at correct moisture levels because if it’s baled too damp the hay will generate heat, which leads to molding.

How long does it take for a hay bale to decompose?

This process usually takes

around 10 to 14 days

. For the first 3 days, simply water the bale thoroughly so it stays damp. For the next 6 days, in addition to watering the bale, use a liquid fertilizer like Bonnie Herb, Vegetable & Flower Plant Foodto add nitrogen to speed the decomposition.

Is last year’s hay still good?

Generally,

hay that is two to three years old is still acceptable given the right storage conditions

. So before you go tossing last year’s hay, give it a check over and feel confident feeding it if everything looks good.

What can I do with old hay bales?

1. Mulch. Spread spoiled hay under your flowers and vegetables as an organic mulch. …
2. Soil Amendments. Chop or shred spoiled hay and add it to your garden soil in the fall as an organic soil amendment. …
3. Compost. Spoiled hay is a natural for adding to the compost bin. …
4. Make A Garden Bed.

How do you know if hay is Mouldy?

Look for the presence of mold in any of the flakes. Moldy hay generally

presents as darker areas which are grey or black

. If you find mold, refuse the bale – mold indicates that the hay was baled when it was too wet. Feeding moldy hay to horses can result in serious problems, such as colic.

Can you use hay bales for gardening?

Hay bale gardens are perfect for gardeners with no space or poor soil for cultivation. Hay forms an ideal alternative to soil. Since the straw bale makes a natural pot for your plants, you can

plant anywhere you have room

for your bale.

Does hay turn into soil?

But using hay as mulch has some surprising benefits. It does indeed break down, but unless you have a very wet environment it shouldn’t get moldy. Instead,

it will start to compost

, creating a rich layer of nutrients for your plants. … They thrive in the warm, moist and nutritious cover and soil provided by the hay.

Should I use hay or straw in my garden?

I’ve seen such tenacious perennial weeds like thistle come into a garden as a result of their seeds hiding inside a bale of hay. Straw on the other hand,

is much better for use as a garden mulch

. Since wheat and other grain crops are so competitive in a field, they suppress the growth of many weeds.

How long do hay bales last outside for decoration?

If you keep your bales out of the elements, especially moisture, they

can last for years

. However, if allowed to absorb moisture and heat, as would happen with a straw bale garden or planter, for example, hay bales will begin to break down and only last for one growing season.

How much does a bale of hay cost?

Can I use old hay for bedding?

If your normal bedding material is not available or you just mess up and forget to keep enough of the normal stuff on hand,

old hay can substitute

.

Does hay grow back every year?

Some fields are always used to grow hay, and

don’t require re-planting every year

. In other cases, hay is a part of a crop rotation, where farmers plant different crops on the same field in different years. Hayseed can be a mixture of many types of seeds, with alfalfa, clover, and timothy being among the most common.

Is hay OK for compost?

Add yard and garden residues and other organic materials to the compost pile, including leaves, grass clippings, straw and hay, sawdust, and finely chopped or shred tree and shrub prunings. … You can also put coffee grounds and eggshells on your compost pile.