My prediction is that if you lay down the moldy hay now, in 2010 you won't even be able to tell you put the stuff there. It will have composted in place and there will be no evidence of it other than some nice 'rich dark looking humousy to drool over ready to plant in patch'.

I gather hay in the fall from folks who have it after Halloween. Right now it's rotting quite well and the bales are starting to fall apart. At one point this summer, I'll pull the nylon cord out and spread it around just a bit and next year the area will be ready for a new garden bed. I will also use some for lasagna gardening and for the compost. Moldy or not, it's all good!

Betho, we had 2 big round bales of hay, around 1000 lbs. each, left from last season's crop that we didn't need for our livestock. When our neighbor put our portion of the new hay, again round bales, from our land into the barn, I asked him to set the old ones outside to make room for the new crop. I couldn't get much for it if I offered it for sale but after sitting out in the weather all winter, it will be worth its weight in gold as mulch (actually sheet composting). I plan to pull off the plastic netting that holds the bale intact and went it down from a hose. Then I plan to pour compost tea over the top to help get the rotting process started. I deep mulch in the fashion of Ruth Stout more than the current lasagna gardening so this hay will be a boon to me.

I agree that whoever told you moldy hay was damaging to plans didn't know what they were talking about. I prefer it to dry hay because it stays put and holds any existing vegetation down more completely. Just be sure to wear a dust mask when you spread it.

Good luck on your new farm.

Wonderful stuff!! Already well on the way to compost. Go for it. ;)

Dave

OK awesome :) That's exactly what I thought too, just wanted to check over here first. I don't post a whole lot but I lurk a ton and I know there are a lot of people on this forum that know their stuff! Thanks!

With that said, I am really excited to at least get the composting started :) :) :) Gotta probably make some phone calls here soon cuz I'll be out there again in a few weeks. And the soil there is already pretty dark and rich so it's going to be so fabulous by the time I actually move up there... drool... :)

Moldy hay, spoiled hay, develops pathogens, toxins, that can make the animals that feed on it very ill if not kill them. But these pathogens do not affect plants, although the dusts these spores produce as you handle them are not good for you to breath. The most bestest thing to do with moldy, or spoiled, hay is to compost it, although some people do use it for mulch.

what a great situation you have! it'll be such a help to hit the ground running with your garden when you move in. we had months of arduous tree-root pulling (lots of dying ash trees were on my current garden site), not to mention a seemingly endless amount of rocks and gritty, unappealing soil to contend with before we could actually plant anything. you'll have lovely, healthy soil right away!

Just as the mold can make animals sick, the same mold can make us human animals sick, too. Lung infections are quite possible. Please use a dust mask at the minimum when handling dry moldy hay, or wet it down before spreading it.

Catherine

mold and fungi are just part of the natural process of decomposition. In fact we need fungi to break down wood so that bacteria can do their thing. However, there are molds and pathogens that can be harmful to your plants. I would pile the hay and mix in raw manure to heat it up. Also, always smell your compost before using it, it should smell like earth.

I know this is an old post, but hopefully someone finds it helpful

• Any of these; musty, stale, mouldy, smelly, stinky, rotten, rancid, soggy, filthy, dingy, yucky, uncleaned, putrid, overripe, dank, fetid, decrepit, skunky, icky, scabby, malodorous, unsanitary, waterlogged, dusty, crumbly, drafty, crummy, mushy, leftover, mildewy, vinnewed, fenowed, mucid, frowy, frouzy, hoared, ratty, maggoty, finew, rotted, unappetizing, vinewed, soiled, flavorless, gloppy, cobwebby, unkempt, unrentable, putid, sticky, putrefied, foetid, damp, greasy, yellowing, runny, discolored, gummy, foistiness, inedible, mucilaginous, misshapen, chalky, insanitary, soupy, saltine, drippy, brown, flavourless, dilapidated, papery, goopy, fracid, sodden, tattered, uneaten, weatherworn, cruddy, unusable, overstuffed, floury, unbuttered, cluttered, decayed, unkept, unwatered, wormy, juiceless, nubbly, unsightly, cramped, crinkly, wrinkled, unbreathable, spongy, shabby, putredinous, unmelted, sniffly, mealy should be okay.

Fracid? You have a few terms here I was not previously familiar with!

tox, At least you read through the list ...with a sceptical eye.

Although a 10 year old post this is a pertinent discussion. You can compost moldy hay, providing you use due care when handling it. The molds in hay can cause respiratory infections that can be serious. At the very least a dust mask should be worn when adding moldy hay to the compost pile. Once fully composted the3re should be no problem.