Alfalfa - Opinions Wanted!

[nmu98]

I planted 5 acres of Alfalfa last spring. It came in great and had a cover crop of Oats. I cut it twice last year, but I did not cut in the fall. I left it about 12-14 inches tall for some wildlife cover. This is not for hay, its just for the deer and other animals.

This spring, the field is brown, brown, brown..... But under all the dead vines and maybe a little bit of clumped cut material from the last rotary cutting. so it looks like the field is doing ok.... But...

I don't think i will leave it uncut again in the fall.... And my question is, should I go out and cut the dead stuff down so the new plants can get more sun? Or should i let nature take its course?

Thanks

 

[Bird]

No technical or scientific knowledge at all, but I'd go out there and mow it if it were mine.

 

[Egon]

Mow some, leave some and see how it turns out. Then you can another decision on which it will be next year.

 

[LoneCowboy]

mow it
harrow it. (chain or springtooth)

get the dead out so it can get water and sun.

 

[WTA]

I grow alfalfa for hay down here and cut it at least 5 times a year. Usually 6 times. In the fall, after my last cut of hay I turn my horses out on it and they mow it clean to the ground. That's the way it stays till spring. The little half inch tall stubble they can't get stays green all winter long and I have absolutely no weeds in it doing this practice. All the other alfalfa fields in this area are full of weeds. I think grazing to the ground makes the difference.

 

[Bird]

I think grazing to the ground makes the difference.

This reminds me of the first time I brush hogged my pasture. I was letting a neighbor run his cattle in my pasture at the time. The cattle could roam back and forth between his own land and mine at will. I set my brush hog down low and mowed my pasture and he said he figured that would run it for grazing for the year. Then right away, he learned that his cattle preferred the fresh growth in my pasture to trying to get to the fresh growth down in the dead grass and weeds in his own pasture.

 

[nmu98]

Well, i could not get it cut before the rain came. At this point I will not get out there til next week. That leads me to the next question.

I will be cutting live and dead plants next week. Is it smart to do a cutting this early? I can see that the alfalfa is growing better in the tracks of the gator so I know it could use light.... But I fear cutting the new plants, and driving the tractor over them......

Thanks

 

[cjk]

Ive been told to leave 6" of more standing over winter here in Wi. The farmer that told me this has the best looking fields in my area. Something about the roots drawing in the nutrients to survive the winter.

He does not mow it until its ready to be cut for feed in late spring.

 

[Z-Michigan]

nmu98, where are you?

I'm in central lower Michigan and have an alfalfa field that's 4-5 years old now. My experience is that cutting the left over dead stuff from last year has very little benefit, and you may well damage your field (soil compaction or outright mud bogging) if you do it early enough to be before new growth starts in spring. Also, alfalfa is susceptible to winter kill in really cold weather - having snow cover greatly reduces the chance of this, and the stubble from the last season helps to keep and hold the snow cover in place.

In other words, my 2 cents is to leave it alone.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

My small Alfalfa field is in the same exact condition yours is. The Alfalfa will grow through the dead stuff just fine. Running your mower across now may do more harm then good like what was said. A lot of farmers do not cut their alfalfa late because of hurting the alfalfa before winter and having a bad winter kill. So this is not a uncommon thing and I have not heard of anyone mowing early in the spring to remove the dead material. If you do mow it let us know what happens and if you see any major improvement.

 

[nmu98]

nmu98, where are you?

I'm in central lower Michigan and have an alfalfa field that's 4-5 years old now. My experience is that cutting the left over dead stuff from last year has very little benefit, and you may well damage your field (soil compaction or outright mud bogging) if you do it early enough to be before new growth starts in spring. Also, alfalfa is susceptible to winter kill in really cold weather - having snow cover greatly reduces the chance of this, and the stubble from the last season helps to keep and hold the snow cover in place.

In other words, my 2 cents is to leave it alone.

I am in Central Lower Michigan More twords the thumb.....
It rained real good over the last 2 days, and I can see the field getting green by the hour. By the time it is dry enough to mow, the alfalfa would be up to the top of the dead stuff.

I am not going to mow it. See what happens....