O/T question about alfalfa

Nancy Howell · May 21, 2009

After reading some of the posts, I was wondering, do you have to re-seed an alfalfa field every year?

teddy52food · May 21, 2009

No not normally. It likes to die out over winter (spring). If you cut it too late in the fall, the roots can't store enough food to survive the dormant period. I had some land in CRP over 10 years & there is still some alfalfa in there yet but it is very thin.

Fordfarmer · May 21, 2009

You actually CAN'T reseed it every year - it's autotoxic - existing plants will kill out new plants that germinate. If it was very thin, you could get some new plants to grow.

Dick L · May 21, 2009

I had about a half acre of Alfalfa grass mixture that didn't catch well. The next spring after the first cutting I frost seeded that area with alfalfa and it was a waste of time and seed. I just cut that patch and it is so thin that I will plow it this summer and reseed that area. Trying to reseed with alfalfa where alfalfa is already growing just does not pay. I was told it wouldn't work but it was so thin I thought I would get some good from the seed. Nope!

gitrib · May 21, 2009

Hrllo Nancy. Three years is the usual life of a stand off Alfalfa. You cannot reseed it there must be another crop grown before you can reseed. This is the reason weed amd pest control is important. It is not a cheap crop to grow.
gitrib

kyhayman · May 21, 2009

A field of alfalfa is a long term investment. Depending on where you are geographically and the protein content you want in the hay it is typically a 7 year crop on the outside, to a 3 year crop on the inside. It needs at minimum 4 months and preferably a year between crops. Up front costs of establishment are high with seed cost from 40 to 100 dollars an acre and lots of lime and potash up front. Generally the first year yields are low but after that it is prolific and long lasting.

Kruse · May 21, 2009

If it gets dry, the alfalfa root can go down 20 feet looking for water. The seed is pretty expensive.

Vern · May 21, 2009

Nancy;
In south-central Washington state we had a field that was 25 years old when it was plowed.
Still gave a good yield with No irrigation.

Vern

GordoSD · May 21, 2009

I have one alfalfa field 6 years old, one 4 years, and one two years. All produce the same, about 3.5T/Ac. Non irrigated, not much rain.
Three cutting per year average. No input costs after initial seeding and fertilizing. Just a splash of P or K each year. Actually it out produces corn dollar for dollar.
You already have all the equipment. Try a fall planted patch of 5 acres and see what you think

Gordo

Bill(Wis) · May 21, 2009

Do not ever, ever try to re-seed alfalfa "every year". Alfalfa leaves, which fall to the ground, leave a toxin which prevents alfalfa seeds from germinating for about one year. That's one of the reasons we break the cycle with a different crop. Try to do this with a crop that requires nitrogen. Your old alfalfa left plenty of that behind. In dairy country we usually follow alfalfa with corn.

Bill in Colo · May 21, 2009

An old agronomist friend told me that a good alfalfa would be good for 24 to 26 cuttings. over a period of years ie if you cut twice it should make 12 years cut three and get 8 years and so on.
There are some new techniques that allow to interseed older stands,but are only practical when using center pivot irrigation

O/T question about alfalfa

Nancy Howell

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teddy52food

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Fordfarmer

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Dick L

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gitrib

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kyhayman

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Kruse

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Vern

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GordoSD

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Bill(Wis)

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Bill in Colo

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