Combine stubble and standing plant material shown in this picture should be mowed and removed . Two management practices are of primary importance in producing high yields of seed. Fescue stubble should be clipped to a height of 3 to 4 inches immediately after harvesting the seed crop. Fields of tall fescue not harvested for seed the previous year but designated for seed production the next year, should be clipped by the time the seed stalks are mature. It is best to remove the residue if possible.
Clipping is necessary for the development of tillers.
Tillers develop during the fall and early winter and are responsible for the following year's seed crop. Failure to clip the stubble to a height of 3 or 4 inches may reduce the subsequent seed crop by as much as 30 percent. The new growth should be grazed only moderately during the next year prior to seed harvest. While summer clipping directly influences the number of tillers and seed stalks produced for the next seed crop, nitrogen fertilization has a positive effect on the number of individual seeds in each seed head. Timing of nitrogen application affects seed yields.