Scouting Roadside Ditches Reduces Weed Contamination and Protects Valuable Forage Supplies
Farmers who harvest hay from roadside ditches should inspect these areas carefully before mowing. While ditch hay provides valuable forage, harvesting weeds along with the crop can spread invasive plants and reduce the overall quality of the hay.
Eric Jones, Assistant Professor and SDSU Extension Weed Management Specialist, along with Graig Reicks and Philip Rozeboom, encourage producers to scout roadside ditches before harvesting.
Different States may have different laws governing right-of-way ditch harvesting. For example, the South Dakota Department of Transportation permits mowing and haying of highway right-of-way ditches after June 15 or July 10, depending on the location. Check your state laws before you begin.
Before harvesting begins, producers should walk the ditch and check for weed patches throughout the entire area.
Many noxious weeds produce large numbers of seeds that can easily spread during mowing and baling. Once the plants have reached the seed stage, harvesting them may scatter seeds across nearby land, creating new weed problems in future growing seasons.
Weed seeds can also become mixed with harvested hay. During hauling, storage, or livestock feeding, these seeds may fall onto clean land and establish new infestations. This can increase weed management costs and reduce forage production over time.
If noxious weeds have already developed mature seed heads, producers should avoid mowing those areas until proper weed control measures are completed. Leaving infested patches unharvested helps prevent unnecessary seed movement.
For small infestations, removing seed heads by hand before harvest can be an effective management practice. Destroying the seed heads limits future spread and helps keep surrounding land cleaner.
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