Lots of this going around. Grass and alfalfa. Stupid weather in Nov. Not wanting trashy hay in spring or choking out over winter. I guess as far as the choking out situation, abandoned fields seem to do just fine, they die, fall down and presto, lots of grass the next year. Will be interesting to see this thread as answers are posted.

 

About the same weather around here in my part of Michigan. Just last week finally got some low 20 degree temperatures (to which my understanding stops ALL alfalfa growth). My last cuttings where also before mid September, I have some nice looking alfalfa couple of feet high and I am going to leave it as I have in the past, for several reasons:

1) holds more snow (moisture too!), helping with heaving/winter kill

2) the deer only eat the tops (if there is plenty to eat, which there is presently, they usually just start eating what is above the snow, sometimes), which also reduces the winter kill (nightly over grazing by the DNR's herd). :angry:

3) By spring, there isn't much left standing anyhow and unless you are landscaping with your rake/baler, very little ends up getting baled (my experience anyways).

I surely would not cut down to 5-6 inches, especially with a bush hog, creating lumps anyhow. IF I was to cut, it would be at least 10-12 inches high, discbine/haybine, laying the crop wide as possible.

All this is in MY area, yours could be much different.

My two cents today, tomorrow it might be worth much less.

Larry

 

Yeah, the snow coverage is my #1 in the "not" column. I guess I'll leave for the deer. Was just weighing up possible fertilizer input reductions (which lead me to think brushhog for more of a mulching effect for faster breakdown).

 

Yeah, the snow coverage is my #1 in the "not" column. I guess I'll leave for the deer. Was just weighing up possible fertilizer input reductions (which lead me to think brushhog for more of a mulching effect for faster breakdown).

Ill go against the grain here. I DID cut my 3rd biggest field, which was about 18-21" tall last January. My thought was the clippings will break down faster and the compost soil I spread would get to the surface of the ground faster.

The results were nothing short of amazing. I got way more than record tonnage. Now this was grass hay, not alfalfa.

 

Ill go against the grain here. I DID cut my 3rd biggest field, which was about 18-21" tall last January. My thought was the clippings will break down faster and the compost soil I spread would get to the surface of the ground faster.
The results were nothing short of amazing. I got way more than record tonnage. Now this was grass hay, not alfalfa.

JD-what height did you clip it?

 

JD-what height did you clip it?

Pretty low (for a field) I'd say 7-8"

 

Heres my thoughts to muddy the waters.
If you cut it are you going to rut it up?
If you cut it and let it breakdown on top is it just going to turn into ash and not really add humus to the soil?
If you don't cut it is there more pest or disease pressure?
If you leave it tall will you have a better chance of surviving a freezeout?
Dad and I recently talked about greenchopping years ago and it always came back. But where strips were purposely left the next crop was thicker in the strips. Not an easy decision.