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New Stands alfalfa and orchardgrass

2K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  joeberg 
#1 ·
any tips for me??

I currently have a 14 ac. stand of pasture, (mostly fescue/bluegrass/some weeds) and I want to overseed orchardgrass into it. The end result will be light pasture someday when I build my home, and hay crop right now. The fertilizer and lime are spot on as I have corrected them over the last year. I plan to no till using my local co-op drill into the existing pasture. how tall should it be before I no till. I took my second cutting of hay off it about a month ago, and now its currently 6-12" tall in spots. should I go ahead and just seed into it or bush hog it first then seed into it. I also plan to spray weedmaster (24d and dicamba) on it to wipe out the weeds. when it the best time ti spray? I can even wait until spring if I have to.

also, I have a 2 ac parcel across town that I am going to be planting RR alfalfa on. I have bush hogged it 2 weeks ago, and sprayed it with round up last weekend. its nice and yellow right now. we are calling for rain here in southern Maryland next Thursday - sunday, so my goal is to plant the seeds by Wednesday using the same no till drill. what other preperations should be done? I plan to fertilize the seeds using the drill at the time time of planting with roughly 100lb/ac p and 50lb/ac k. i also planned on waiting until a few days after seeding to re-spray round up if needed to catch anything I missed prior. any thoughts? im new to this, both pacels are well drained, the 2acs are completely flat, and the 14ac has gentle rolling slopes, but great pasture/hay land/ future home.

thanks.
 
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#2 ·
OC, IDK, alfalfa, I spray RU, a couple days BEFORE I plant and I put NO fertilizer when planting. I have the fertility levels where they need to be BEFORE planting and then fertilize after removing next year's 1st cutting, all this is my area. Check with your local extension office for more info. Attached is a piece from MSU, that shows planting times for alfalfa, that you might find of use.

Larry
 

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#3 ·
R82230,

What type of fertilization plan do you do yearly? How much N, P, and K? Do you hit it with some Sulf & B?

I haven't been able to find information for a orchard/Alfalfa mix fertilization requirements. I found information on each, but not together. I seen some conflicting information says you should NOT apply large amounts of N to an alfalfa field.

Thank you in advance.

Joe
 
#4 ·
R82230,

What type of fertilization plan do you do yearly? How much N, P, and K? Do you hit it with some Sulf & B?

Joe
JB,

I send in soil tests with specifics, eg. labeled alfalfa or alfalfa/grass or grass, along with achievable tonnage goal, then go by the recommendations. I use to test, every 5 acre section, every year. Now, that I have 'learned', how the field's produce and what is removed per ton in MY area. I only soil test about 10-20% of my fields, with the exception of the field I am going to plant (re-plant) next year. These fields always get soil tested, so I can lime if need in the fall, almost a year before planting.

Micro nutrients are applied only if needed (via soil test results, naturally).

Larry
 
#5 ·
JB,

I send in soil tests with specifics, eg. labeled alfalfa or alfalfa/grass or grass, along with achievable tonnage goal, then go by the recommendations. I use to test, every 5 acre section, every year. Now, that I have 'learned', how the field's produce and what is removed per ton in MY area. I only soil test about 10-20% of my fields, with the exception of the field I am going to plant (re-plant) next year. These fields always get soil tested, so I can lime if need in the fall, almost a year before planting.

Micro nutrients are applied only if needed (via soil test results, naturally).

Larry
Larry,

Thanks.

I was looking for a better technical trial source for verifying those recommendations.

If you look at the technical replacement requirements for Alfalfa & Orchard independently, it's hard to understand how the soil sample company recommends what they recommend.

Joe
 
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