The seed can also be directly dropped onto the soil surface in front of the packer wheels and pressed in. Companion crops are commonly used to protect the young seedlings and provide a snow trap for the first winter. Cereal crops and canola have been successfully used, although if moisture is inadequate during the growing season the timothy may establish poorly. Flax makes a good companion crop, as it offers adequate protection while allowing a considerable amount of sunlight to reach the seedlings. The seed field should be free of perennial weeds, especially quackgrass, Canada thistle, sowthistle, dandelions and red or alsike clover.
Annual weeds can be a problem as well.
There are no controls for green foxtail or barnyard grass in seedling timothy. As weed control options are limited, it is best to avoid such problems and seed timothy into clean fields. During the cropping years, certain weeds will cause seed cleaning problems. Another problem weed in timothy seed is ox-eye daisy. Ox-eye daisy is a perennial plant for which there is no chemical control.