# Over seeding Alfalfa



## Fowllife (Sep 10, 2010)

I know that you can usually overseed a spring planted alfalfa field in the fall, but what about the next spring?

I have a field that I seeded this spring that didn't turn out the best. It was supposed to be a timothy/alfalfa mix, but a downpour after I seeded it, and then the lack of rain after doesn't have it looking the best. The alfalfa was extremely stressed all summer and didn't look good at all, but bounced back nice after I finally made a cutting and we got a little rain. The timothy was spotty and didn't seem to come back at all after I cut. Mind you though I didn't take first cutting until early August and had less then 1 ton/ac, and half of that was weeds. Alfafla looks good, just a little thinner than I would like.

So, now I'm thinking about making another cutting on it. OSU has the last cutting date for my area at Sept. 1, but there wasn't enough growth then to cut. I'm really tight on hay right now and could use more to be comfortable for the winter. I was thinking of cutting after the first heavy frost. So, do I leave it alone and drive 2 hr to pat $$$ for some comfort hay? broadcast some alfalfa seed now and cut in a couple weeks? Or cut this fall and overseed in the spring? I could also broadcast just grass seed in the spring. Typical first frost is Oct. 15 in my area.

Thanks for any input

Tom


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## CockrellHillFarms (Aug 30, 2011)

Tom not sure what to tell you. Sounds like you might be in a hard spot. Usually you have 10-12 months to reseed alfalfa. After that, its not worth it. If your last date to cut is Sept 1. according to OSU. And ur first frost is oct. 15. I wouldnt cut it. Not sure how big your field is but thats too much risk for me. You need it to come up/green up again and grow before your first hard frost. Doesnt sound like you have enough time. And put the dry weather on top of that. Again....a large added risk. I also wouldnt think you would want to broadcast that seed on. I would think you'd need to no-till it in or some other method for seed contact purposes.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Wouldn't overseeding in the spring not work due to toxicity of the previous years crop? Or does first year alfalfa not produce that much toxicity.


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## CockrellHillFarms (Aug 30, 2011)

From what I have been told. You can reseed within the first year as the alfalfa doesnt create enough auto-toxicity in the first 12 months to hurt reseeding or inter-seeding. After that it wont work well. This is coming from my own research as well as seed guys. As I have been in this position before. However, I reseeded quickly.


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## Fowllife (Sep 10, 2010)

Yeah I am kinda in a tough spot. I fenced in my other hay field for pasture for the cows, so I am going to need good production off this field next year, or at least decent production off this one and the other one I plan on seeding in the spring. Unfortunitly drilling isn't really an option for me right now. I don't have a drill & not many guy in my area are interested in doing it for me. The ones who would aren't setup to notil small seed. The county does have a notill drill, but I dont have the ponies to pull it and it's hard to get ahold of.

Teslan - The toxisity is what I was worried about. I didn't know the time frame that would really kick in. I did stop out and walk the field last night. 60% of it looks nice and thick and is about 18" tall, 25% is decently thick and is about 8" tall, and the other 15% has lots of bear spots with thin spindly plants.

I have heard a lot of guys say that as soon as it has a killing frost your can cut it without any harm, is there any truth to that? It seems like there are 2 ways of thought on that, some say it's no big deal and the others say never do it unless you can get good regrowth.


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## CockrellHillFarms (Aug 30, 2011)

I know people say that BUT....I wouldnt do that unless I absolutely had to. Even though it goes dormant, it still needs some growth on top of the ground before it gets hit hard for winter. Plants still need leaf to get energy etc. That field sounds like its not in that bad of shape to me. And if its a first year stand. It might really take off next year if you treat it well. The best production is that 2nd and 3rd year. After that, it starts going down hill. Might have to rotate it out early with it having some bare spots in it now.


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