Hay to Alfalfa

[Se Ia T-Bone]

I currently have an old CRP field, roughly 5 acres, that has been out of the program for two years and we are just baling it for now. I am too busy to do it this year but I am wanting to plant alfalfa into it next year.

Should I burn it at the end of this year and plant something like rye for over the winter and plant alfalfa next spring?
Or
Can i burn it this fall, disc it up and plant alfalfa this fall? Will it survive over the winter?
Or
What other options do I have?

 

[mplane72]

I'm no farmer but the farm I hunt they just rotated the commercial alfalfa acres. Last fall they sprayed roundup on the old field. This spring they prepared and planted the new field.

 

[JNRBRONC]

Mow it July 1.

August 1 hit the regrowth with roundup.

August 31 broadcast alfalfa seed.

The dates are approximate, but if things go well, you will have a alfalfa field that can be harvested in spring of 2015.

Tillage brings weed seed to the surface. You could drill in the alfalfa seed if you prefer that over broadcasting, but I personally wouldn't disk.

 

[Tim Hull]

I think JNRBRONC is on the money. It is always easier to plant in the fall because you won't have the weed problems you have with spring or early summer plantings.

 

[Hardwood11]

I currently have an old CRP field, roughly 5 acres, that has been out of the program for two years and we are just baling it for now. I am too busy to do it this year but I am wanting to plant alfalfa into it next year.

Should I burn it at the end of this year and plant something like rye for over the winter and plant alfalfa next spring?
Or
Can i burn it this fall, disc it up and plant alfalfa this fall? Will it survive over the winter?
Or
What other options do I have?

I realize it is only 5 acres, but my guess is that a farmer in your area might be interested in planting alfalfa for you at a reduced rate? He can then manage it/harvest it for you....just a thought?

 

[Se Ia T-Bone]

I realize it is only 5 acres, but my guess is that a farmer in your area might be interested in planting alfalfa for you at a reduced rate? He can then manage it/harvest it for you....just a thought?

My cousin is the farmer and using the hay for his cows until i get my house built and then have time to take care of it myself.

Mow it July 1.

August 1 hit the regrowth with roundup.

August 31 broadcast alfalfa seed.

The dates are approximate, but if things go well, you will have a alfalfa field that can be harvested in spring of 2015.

Tillage brings weed seed to the surface. You could drill in the alfalfa seed if you prefer that over broadcasting, but I personally wouldn't disk

That sounds like my plan. I was just unsure how the alfalfa would do over the winter.
Do you need any kind of nurse crop to go with it?

 

[JNRBRONC]

That sounds like my plan. I was just unsure how the alfalfa would do over the winter.
Do you need any kind of nurse crop to go with it?

No nurse crop really needed, but you will hope for rain so that the alfalfa gets well established before winter. The risk is that it doesn't grow enough to store energy in the roots for regrowth the next spring.

You could do your glyphosate burn down this fall while the grass is still growing then frost seed in Feb/Mar 2015, which would delay the first harvest of alfalfa until sometime in the summer. Depends on how quickly you want the crop.

Maybe have a soil test done so that if you need lime, you could apply it this summer so that it has a chance to get washed into the soil by rain if you opt not to till.

 

[Sligh1]

I'll admit - I'm tempted with the Round-up Ready Alfalfa that's now out there. And really, I feel no shame on that anymore than round-up beans or corn. Would also be great for the guy that did work up his ground & had weeds or did the spring planting.
Alfalfa can be a bit tricky to get established (for example, tougher to get a great stand than clover) & you need to watch your soil tests closely and likely add some Boron & micronutrients to the fertilizer mix. Keep in mind, bailing land, before or after this - you have and will pull immense amounts of P&K out of the ground. Bailing ground pulls more nutrients out & away from soil than almost any other practice. Keep up long term with continued fertilizer, lime, etc.

 

[Oct-Lull]

As a farmer I would not broadcast seed and no till in the fall. To much risk for expensive seed. To much riding on moisture that typically isn't there. Also there isn't much worse than a rough hayfield, even if only 5 acres. Plow it and let it sit over winter, then work and plant in spring. I would seed in a cover crop with quality hybrid alfalfa, ( tritacale, oats, barley) to help with weeds and give you a July cutting. Seed bed prep is super important. Don't skimp. Your second year you will have a top notch stand you can easily cut 4 times.