# New Stand of Spring Alfalfa, issues



## onecincyfarmer66 (Aug 30, 2012)

New to the forum. I have been making grass hay for the last 3 years off on of my farms and this spring I decided to plant some spring alfalfa. My buyer wanted some. 4 acres planted in late March. Planted after soybeans, lime a year before, disked the stubble and then planted with a no-till Tye drill with press wheels. Was planning on fertilizing this fall. Planted with a nurse crop of oats, 1 and 1/2 bushels to the acre and alfalfa planted at 12 lbs to acre.

Now I'm SE Indiana, we had warm weather and good rains early and as we all know then the drought hit. The field looked great and then around late May went and looked the alfalfa was only coming up around the edges. Not forsure what happened there? After making the oats hay and now bushoging off a stand of common ragweed, I am trying to make a decision.Very limited stand of alfalfa in the middle of the field. What would you guys do? No-till in some extra alfalfa, do you think there is enough time before frost? Would you rip up the stand and start over? Only other idea I have is to frost seed some clover in the winter maybe with some manure. Or wait and try some teff next spring after the frost.

Thanks from a young farmer.

Nathan


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

_I think you would be ok yet THERE interseeding into it NOW.Be nice to get a rain on it shortly after to get it going and the hurrricane may do that??_

_12 lbs is a little light on seeding rate.It is enough if it all grows but normally I seed at 20 lbs acre._

_There maybe some hard seed still laying in ground that will come next spring??_


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Do it now if you can, I plant around 17lbs alfalfa, 2-3lbs of orchard grass and a bushel/acre of oats.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I guessing you were in the drought pattern over the midwest. You probably didn't get a deep enough root system established before the ground dried out. I lost two new stands of orchardgrass even though I did a fall seeding. It generally takes 1-2 years for a stand to get well enough established to within extreme weather conditions.

My corn did something similar--the edges looked reasoanble; the inside areas got hurt bad.

About a month ago, I dug down with my pocket knife. In some places, I went 4" with nothing but dust. In others, I couldn't even get my knife in more than an inch.

Ralph


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## onecincyfarmer66 (Aug 30, 2012)

Ok guys I guess I'll be getting the drill out next week. I had an accident on Tuesday and had a log chain break and hit me in the face. But I'll be back in action soon enough to get it drilled. Wish I could do it before the rain comes in. 
Thanks to all.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

onecincyfarmer66 said:


> Ok guys I guess I'll be getting the drill out next week. I had an accident on Tuesday and had a log chain break and hit me in the face. But I'll be back in action soon enough to get it drilled. Wish I could do it before the rain comes in.
> Thanks to all.


Get well Nathan!

Regards, Mike


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

rjmoses said:


> I guessing you were in the drought pattern over the midwest. You probably didn't get a deep enough root system established before the ground dried out. I lost two new stands of orchardgrass even though I did a fall seeding. It generally takes 1-2 years for a stand to get well enough established to within extreme weather conditions.
> 
> Ralph


Had a 18 acre field of fall sownOrchard grass get hurt also Ralph.....probably lost 1/3 of it.....just too thin now....thought about drilling to thicken?? Just have never had alot of success HERE drilling grass seed.

Regards, Mike


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