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With seeding-year alfalfa, stems are spindly, roots are small and shorter, and growth is a little slower. You can harvest seeding-year alfalfa as early as 40 days after seedlings emerge. It takes plants about 40 days to become able to regrow from the crown after cutting.
How long does it take for alfalfa to sprout?
Alfalfa seed germinates best at soil temperatures between 65-85°F. If soil temperature is 40°F, it takes alfalfa six days to germinate, but only two days at 65°F.
Does alfalfa grow easily?
Easily grown and propagated, alfalfa adapts well to nearly any garden, tolerating a wide range of growing conditions. It makes a good drought-resistant plant too, as it doesn’t like wet feet. In fact, too much moisture can lead to mold growth.
What month do you plant alfalfa?
If you have land available for alfalfa in late summer, optimal seeding dates are July 15 through August in the Upper Midwest; closer to July 15 for northernmost regions. For growers in warmer climates, seeding into early September is acceptable.
How long until you can harvest alfalfa?
An alfalfa crop needs about 45 days to recover from being cut. “During those 45 days the growth on the alfalfa plant, once it reaches that 12-14 inches in height, is where it starts putting food back into the root system to make it through the winter.
Does alfalfa reseed itself?
Alfalfa is a crop that naturally tends to lessen its density over time because alfalfa doesn’t reseed itself. Planting more alfalfa into current alfalfa fields is not recommended since alfalfa has autotoxicity characteristics. A good population/density is about 35 well-growing stems per square foot.
Does alfalfa need a lot of water?
Alfalfa is a high water use crop because it has a long growing season, a deep root system, and a dense mass of vegetation. Commonly cited ranges in water requirements for alfalfa are 18 to 36 inches of water per season. Alfalfa is quite tolerant of drought or extended periods without highly available water.
What happens if you don’t cut alfalfa?
If it stays dry those new shoots could die off. Once your alfalfa does receive enough rain for regrowth it might regrow a little faster if it’s cut, but it also will regrow following sufficient rain without cutting. In most cases, it’s not worth the cost and time involved to shred, clip, or harvest low-yielding hay.
Can you broadcast alfalfa?
Alfalfa seed can be broadcast planted on a clean, tilled seedbed instead of planted with a drill seeder. If broadcast seeding is used, the seedbed should be firmed with a roller or cultipacker before seeding. After the seed is broadcast, it should be covered with a roller or cultipacker.
Does alfalfa need to be replanted every year?
Alfalfa should never be replanted into the same field for at least one year due to the alleopathic effect of mature plants on development of new seedlings and minimal risk of disease for the new planting.
How many pounds per acre do you plant alfalfa?
Seeding rates should be between 12 and 15 pounds per acre. Prescribed seeding rates are designed to provide several times the seed needed to achieve optimal yield under ideal growing conditions. Seeding rates above 15 pounds per acre have no positive impact on yield (Table 3).
How often does alfalfa need to be replanted?
Recommended intervals of six or twelve months were most frequently reported, but the range was two weeks to 24 months. Many respondents commented that their most common recommendation was to reseed alfalfa after rotation with a non-legume crop grown for one or more seasons.
How long does it take alfalfa to bloom?
Harvesting of Alfalfa During the Establishment Year The first harvest can be made before flowers begin to appear, but waiting for the alfalfa to flower will ensure greater energy reserves in the roots. Alfalfa will generally reach this stage of development between 60 and 70 days after emergence.
How tall should alfalfa be when you cut it?
2-inch height for all cuts during the season, 2-inch height for the 1st cut, 3-inch height for the 2nd and 3rd cuts, 3-inch height for all cuts during the season, 6-inch height for all cuts during the season.
What do farmers do with alfalfa?
Because alfalfa can be used as feed in various fresh, dried, and preserved forms, it can be used both as a pasture or hay crop by dairy farmers and other livestock producers, and as a cash crop by farmers who do not raise livestock themselves.
Do you have to mow alfalfa?
Clover, alfalfa and chicory are the perennials that you may plant in some of your green fields that will need to be mowed. To get the most out of your perennial green field plantings, set-up a regular mowing schedule to keep that perennial continuing to produce – especially during the spring and summer.
Does alfalfa grow in winter?
The genetics of the variety determines how cold tolerant the plant crown and taproot can be during the winter months. Most winter hardened alfalfa plants can withstand soil temperatures in the crown area of 0 to 4 degrees F without crown tissue damage.
How deep do alfalfa roots go?
Alfalfa has a long taproot that pene- trates more deeply into the soil than crops such as corn or wheat which have more fibrous, shallow roots. Under favorable conditions, alfalfa roots may penetrate over 20 feet deep. This great rooting depth gives alfalfa excellent drought tolerance.
How do you grow dryland alfalfa?
A 12-inch row spacing is best for dryland production. Recommended planting depths are 0.25 to 0.5 inch. Plant at 0.25 inch deep when seeding on fine-textured soils and at 0.5 inch when seeding on sandy soils. In Montana, growers plant alfalfa up to 1 inch deep on sandy dryland soils.
