# How late to cut new seeding alfalfa?



## dwarner (Aug 28, 2012)

Hello all, hope your season is going well. We finally got a new alfalfa field to grow after seeding twice. It was seeded this spring, a little on the late side. This was a grass/pasture mess so there were weeds early, it was mowed off -just weeds at the time ~late June. Then we cut and baled early august - about 50% foxtail = low quality. We had just over 2" rain last week (18-22nd) and the alfalfa has really taken off. Yesterday it was about 8" or so. Going to be cool this week with several chances of rain in the next 6 days. Do I dare cut this again say sept. 5-10th?? I know it won't be full bloom possibly not even budding. It was seeded quite high rate and is thick stand/fine stemmed. I am in SW MN just south of US 14 and don't want a freeze to kill it off. I do have some demand of nice alfalfa, I small square it and this is my only source this year. Thanks!! Dan


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

dwarner said:


> Hello all, hope your season is going well. We finally got a new alfalfa field to grow after seeding twice. It was seeded this spring, a little on the late side. This was a grass/pasture mess so there were weeds early, it was mowed off -just weeds at the time ~late June. Then we cut and baled early august - about 50% foxtail = low quality. We had just over 2" rain last week (18-22nd) and the alfalfa has really taken off. Yesterday it was about 8" or so. Going to be cool this week with several chances of rain in the next 6 days. Do I dare cut this again say sept. 5-10th?? I know it won't be full bloom possibly not even budding. It was seeded quite high rate and is thick stand/fine stemmed. I am in SW MN just south of US 14 and don't want a freeze to kill it off. I do have some demand of nice alfalfa, I small square it and this is my only source this year. Thanks!! Dan


Cut it. But when do you get your first frost normally? I had similar questions about my 3rd cutting on new seeding alfalfa about cutting in October. However the way this year is going weather wise I don't think I'm going to get a chance.


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## covenanthay (Oct 2, 2009)

I was told a new seeding needs to go to full bloom at least once in the first growing season so I let that happen on first cutting. I plan on cutting it once more, hopefully next week, this year.


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## Fowllife (Sep 10, 2010)

Teslan said:


> But when do you get your first frost normally?


This is what I would look at. You want to make sure you have good regrowth before your first frost.

Here, our last cut date is September 15. Lots of guys cut after that though, some even pull a cutting after first frost.

If it were me, and I didn't need the feed, I would leave it go. If you are talking about demand then I'm sure you are selling it and not feeding yourself. A couple different sources are saying this winter is supposed to be another cold one. I would want a new seeding to go into winter as healthy as possible.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

dwarner said:


> Hello all, hope your season is going well. We finally got a new alfalfa field to grow after seeding twice. It was seeded this spring, a little on the late side. This was a grass/pasture mess so there were weeds early, it was mowed off -just weeds at the time ~late June. Then we cut and baled early august - about 50% foxtail = low quality. We had just over 2" rain last week (18-22nd) and the alfalfa has really taken off. Yesterday it was about 8" or so. Going to be cool this week with several chances of rain in the next 6 days. Do I dare cut this again say sept. 5-10th?? I know it won't be full bloom possibly not even budding. It was seeded quite high rate and is thick stand/fine stemmed. I am in SW MN just south of US 14 and don't want a freeze to kill it off. I do have some demand of nice alfalfa, I small square it and this is my only source this year. Thanks!! Dan


You may have to much regrowth if you don't cut it.I'd cut it around the 10th with out worrying about it.Maybe cut it higher and leave more stuble??You see some guys leave a strip every 25-30' but that is pretty much worthless if field blows clean of snow.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Or some wait till after a killing frost to cut it.Cut it high leavening a lot of stuble


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## dwarner (Aug 28, 2012)

Thanks guys! Yes it seems like it would get too tall if I leave it now, We could get frost Sept 20 I guess but hopefully it isn't until october, kind of a crap shoot there. I will leave some stubble maybe 4" enough?? I saw a few small rocks last time I cut it that never got picked up so I know it won't be cut any shorter than ~4". I tried cutting a 4th cutting once in later sept. and it takes forever to get it to dry here. The nights are cool and damp and once soybean harvest starts I will have no time to mess with my patch of hay. Even today I think it was nearly noon before the dew was off.


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

I think I'd leave it. It can't really get too tall. But its your call. If you cut it do it soon after Labor Day. Good luck!


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## tarrquinn (Jul 5, 2014)

i was letting my 1st cut go to bloom planted pretty thick but it fell over as stems were very fine and it was growing so fast .... i wood cut because once it lodged it started to try and regrow from bottom with no flower ever happenning ,wasted a lot


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