# Foxtail in Alfalfa



## Walcar (Nov 4, 2009)

This past spring I planted 17 acres in alfalfa. The stand developed fairly well with all the rain and relatively cool weather and I had a decent first cutting. During regrowth and subsequent cuttings however I had significant amouts of foxtail throughout the field which decreased the value of my hay greatly. I am a relative newcomer to hay farming and wonder what I can do to avoid this next year. Thanks in advance for your comments and I must say reading these forums has been extremely educating.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

It will probably be fine next yr if you have a good stand of alfalfa.If not there is chem you can spray for grasses in alfalfa.I've used Poast Plus & Pursuit with good results.Check with your chem dealer.

The Poast was cheaper but only kills grasses.Pursuit does control some broadleafs also but costs more.

I'm presumimg it's straight alfalfa.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

You can go both ways on this. It can be sprayed and swmnhay pointed out two very good products for it. Personally I've never sprayed a hay field. Keep it mowed before the Foxtail goes to seed and it will disappear quickly enough on its own.


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## nwfarmer (Jun 16, 2009)

You can spray Select or Trigger. Trigger is one of the generics and is a little cheaper. The common name of the grass killer is "clethodim. It isn't cheap. about $100 to $130 a gallon. Use about 8 to 12 ounces per acre. If it is just an alfalfa field it will work great. I use ammonium sulphate and MSO with the Trigger.

Like was mentioned before cut early before it heads out. Sometimes that is a problem because if you cut just a little too late it will head out in the windrow. Then it will blow around and you will really have a mess.

If it is grass and alfalfa you can use paraquat dichloride. Brand names are Firestorm or Gramoxone. Paraquat dichloride kills the top of everything, not the roots. Grasses and alfalfa will come back. Weeds will too but if you do this for about 3 years the weeds including foxtail will not re-seed themselves and will be gone.


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## chief-fan (Aug 27, 2009)

Fox tail is an annual grass. In other words it has to reseed each year to come back. The seeds dropped this year will germinate next spring and come back. In SW Iowa, and I am sure in other areas as well, we have a product called Prowl. Highly concentrated, expensive but works great if applied at the proper time. I have not used it on hay ground but have several times on the lawn to keep the foxtail out.. It is a ground sterilizer to keep the new seeds from germinating so must be applied early before any germination has started. As mlappin mentioned, cut it before it heads out is the cheapest control.


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## nwfarmer (Jun 16, 2009)

I believe foxtail is a bi-annual.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

nwfarmer said:


> I believe foxtail is a bi-annual.


Yellow Foxtail,Green Foxtail and Giant Foxtail that are common HERE and also called pigeon grass are annual grasses.

nwfarmer are you thinking of Downy Brome? maybe they call it foxtail THERE


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## toddhandy (Jun 20, 2014)

This is an older Post and I am having the same issue with the Foxtail. My friend is an Agronomist in he said it was Barley foxtail in my area. I like to have a mix of Alfalfa and Brome grass. The areas where i have the most problems with the foxtail is in areas where the alfalfa is dominant and their is little Brome. I have some Plateau and I believe that is a grass killer. Has anyone tried Plateau for this situation


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## cypull (May 15, 2012)

I use Prowl H2O with good success, applied immediately after 1st cutting. Effective, but it’s not cheap!


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## toddhandy (Jun 20, 2014)

Thanks Cypull, How many ounces per acre do you apply?


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## keezletowner (Aug 3, 2014)

I have had foxtail heavy in all my alfalfa plantings in Virginia the first year regardless of prior crop rotation. It must be very heavy in the seed bank. Regardless, after the first year it always disappears. I assume this is due to suppression of the foxtail seedlings by mature alfalfa/orchard grass. It may then make a repeat appearance after the stand thins in 5 or so years. I would be reluctant to waste herbicide on it here since it will likely be outcompeted and is so ubiquitous in the seed bank anyway. My 2 cents


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