Mature Meadow Grass Seed Stalks, Ohio

The grasses in a nearby meadow were mature, yellowing and ready to be cut and baled into hay. Just before they were cut, I waded through the waist-tall field to get one last look at the current crop.

A fairly stiff breeze was blowing, making waves in the grass. Wave after wave rushed toward me when I turned to face into the wind.

Off near the fencerow I made this photograph. Some darker, more green forbs made for a good background to show off the yellowish grasses. I enjoy seeing mature seed heads on grasses, because they cause the stalks to bend gracefully into arcs. In this photo, the relatively shallow depth of focus both gives an illusion of depth, and at the same time gives the impression that the grass stalks are slowly waving in the warm breeze.

A bit of Web research found that grasses need 20 to 30 days after flowering for seeds to properly mature. This varies because the period of flowering and seed development lasts from several days to two weeks. Hot, dry weather shortens the ripening time. Cool, moist conditions delay seed maturity.

To me, the first crop of mature meadow grass means that summer is past its midpoint. Time for the dog days to start, the heavy heat.

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