# How Legume/Grass Systems Actually Work.



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

From Progressive Forage Grower. Good Read.

Regards, Mike

http://www.progressiveforage.com/forage-production/management/how-legume-and-grass-systems-actually-work


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

I have always heard that N will kill clover? I started to search for "nitrogen kill" and it auto-filled to "nitrogen kills clover". Does this hold true with legumes such as lespedeza and/or alfalfa or is it a tightrope act of getting just enough to help the grass without killing the legumes? Interesting read...but confusing to my thought-to-be knowledge. Most good reads are just that, though.

73, Mark


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## TJH (Mar 23, 2014)

Great read Mike, thanks for posting. There is something my dad and others over the years told me, legumes need some added N. One man that used to grow great clover around here told me when I ask him about growing clover as good as he did said you need nitrogen and some calcium every year, the trick is to keep the top quarter inch from being too acidic. As organic matter breaks down it becomes very acidic and you must prevent that by adding 200 LBS of lime a year anywhere you want legumes to thrive. I have found out in the last 2 years of applying poultry litter since it has about 50 LBS of calcium per ton, my clover has thrived and what I thought was dead came back with vigor. Of course the N-P-K didn't hurt, however I attribute the success I've had the last couple of years mainly to the N and Ca that was in the litter. Waiting to see what happens this year as I applied 3 tons per acre to the pastures. If it doesn't start raining though it may all be for nothing.


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## TJH (Mar 23, 2014)

To answer your question Glass, dad always put lespedeza in with the 34-0-0 when top dressing wheat, and the lespedeza was so thick you couldn't walk through it. We ran the mower behind the combine and baled a couple hours latter. He said the straw would absorb the moisture in the lespedeza and I never saw a moldy bale and the cattle would eat it, straw and all.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

I spread from 25-75 units of N on Alfalfa / grass mixes depending on the ratio of the mix.More the grass in the mix the more the. N.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

glasswrongsize said:


> I have always heard that N will kill clover? I started to search for "nitrogen kill" and it auto-filled to "nitrogen kills clover". Does this hold true with legumes such as lespedeza and/or alfalfa or is it a tightrope act of getting just enough to help the grass without killing the legumes? Interesting read...but confusing to my thought-to-be knowledge. Most good reads are just that, though.
> 73, Mark


never heard that one and don't believe it either.Spread N on some grass hay that has some redclover and white clover in it and it hasn't killed it yet.


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## PaCustomBaler (Nov 29, 2010)

Always have spread N on A/O stands. I'm not sure you could grow much of a YIELD-ABLE crop without spinning on some N.

Nice share Mike.


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