[yankeeincanada]

I am a US citizen living in Eastern Ontario Canada. We have 125 acres with approximately 56 acres being used for hay production. We got 307 1000 lbs baled of hay off it this year. I have 3 fields that total approximatel 25 acres where the hay production is down with very little alpha or clover growing in the fields. I was told to just leave it that way for the winter then disc and harrow it in the spring and plant a crop there. I am just a rookie at this but enjoy do it as I am retired. I was told that I cannot plant a Hay field in that ground as the rotting sod will kill an seedling I have coming up. No one has ever told me that before but it this true? Can anyone give me advise on what to plant in this field?. I need any help I can get!

 

[slowzuki]

Not sure what you are asking but in a similar climate here - generally soil test first, apply amendments needed. You generally have to spray off a field with roundup before direct drilling to reseed it. If plowing it you can seed after but I've found you get a lot of weeds from old seeds in the ground.

Rotating a crop lets you use a round up ready plant variety to reduce other weeds for a year or two before seeding your crop.

 

[yankeeincanada]

My wife is on my case not to use the roundup but I did spot spraying to rid the field of Milk weed and ragweed. What about the gases from the rotting grass harming new seedlings? I never heard about that one before?I thought that I could just reseed everything after plowing over to kill everything. Thanks for the speedy reply

 

[slowzuki]

There are some plants that can't follow things but I don't think its the gases of decomposition (CO2 is pretty much it) some plants product herbicide like chemicals to increase their success against other plants, I think some rye's do this. Alfalfa makes something that prevents new stands of alfalfa from growing I think, not 100%, none of it planted here.

 

[yankeeincanada]

Ok It just seems like everyone of the local farmers tells me a different story about what I should do here.It is very confusing for me. Is it because I am not a member of the "click" here in Ontario. Is there a government agency I should be asking these questions since I am a "rookie" here and need all of the help I can get!

 

[slowzuki]

A good start for your area is this:

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/field/forages.html

Read a bunch of the documents on there, I believe they break down by area of the province too.

 

[triabordofarm]

Alfalfa is autotoxic meaning that you can not plant alfalfa after alfalfa. Michigan State University as well as Oklohoma State have studies on this. Minimum of 6 months in light ground, one year is recommended between diggin old alfalfa up and re-planting. Could this be an issue with you? I haven't ever heard of decomposing green manure affecting new seedling unless perhaps your ground is very heavy and wet. Slowzuki has provided an excellent link which you should read. Also the University of Wisconsin has a fella named Dan Undersander who is very knowledgeable with all things hay. His writings are very interesting.