another question! Thin hay field

Have a 15 acre field of mostly, well was mostly, alfalfa. Alot froze out, alot died from drought, ins adjuster says it is still below an insurance claim, based on HIS inspection. I need the hay, as new hay feild planted will not be a good producer till next year. Applied N and K, prior to rains, want to run a drill over the field with a grass mixture, possible some non GMOI beans, or small rais to thicken the stand, only for this one year, for 2 cutting possibly 3. Any suggestions, soil is lighter, my drill cut to get the larger seed in, but with rain forecasst for 5 of the next 7 days I could maybe just graze the ground. Any suggestions on seed to use? Alfalfa is currently about 4"-6" tall, will the drill ruin the current plants?

A good double disk drill opener will work the ground enough that grass seed will grow if you get timely rains. You need it done ASAP. Your a little late but maybe the alfalfa will not smother the grass in the thin spots. Alfalfa does have a natural grow inhibitor that holds back other alfalfa and some grass. So some times you do not get the other forages to grow well in an older alfalfa stand.

IF it was earlier in the year I have seen guys take an old drag disk. Then set it almost straight and then disk the heck out of the alfalfa stand. The blades split the crowns. If you get a good growing season after that it can make the stand thicker. This only works if the stand is uniformly thin. If your stand has large bare spots from winter kill then this does not work as well.

I was just talking to a friend the other day about trying one of the new straight blade zone tillage tools on an alfalfa stand. I do not personally know anyone that has one close to me.

You kinda missed the boat, shoulda been done 2 weeks ago. Needs to be done when old alfalfa is small, now it will shade out your new seeds, steal all the moisture. Aswell as missing out on these rains.

They suggested annual ryegrass to me years ago in similar situation, but it was too dry that year, didnt come up.

I doubt you will find any anyhow, everyone is having alfalfa issues around here, no seed left.

Dad had me plant oats in many years ago, actually worked pretty good. First cutting the alfalfa did good on its own, 2nd cutting the oats did fill in the bare spots, third cutting was a little regrowth oats.

But, shoulda been done, getting late for that by the time this dries out,you will hurt first cutting alfalfa now, for not too much gain later as late as it will be when this dries out.....

Paul

I would fertilize, drill in the grass seed and clip it close or chop mulch it close. At 4 to 6 inch on the alfalfa it will have little loss in the long run. I have hauled manure on my alfalfa in the spring and mulched it down so I didn't pick it up with the rake on the first cutting with it about that tall and didn't seem to loose much over the season if any.

Maybe I should rephrase that, depends if you are closer to southern MN near me, if you are in more northern MN, you are on time, I forget how far north the state goes....

The annual rye grass seemed like a good choice, I just ran into a drought year the time I tried it, and so did not work that time.

Albert Lea Seed House is a good source for ideas and seeds, tho I understand things are in short supply with so many having issues this year, alfalfa seed got sold out.

In your spray thread, if you are looking to spray yourself this year, many of the products used on corn are also sold out, or getting very short supply. My suppliers say even glyphosate is going to run out, they have 2/3 of what they normally sell over spring, and not sure more is coming. Anything with dicomba in it is sold out, which means the other corn post products are being sold out quickly to cover the shortage.

Supply management is getting tough in this part of the world with farm products. Since I own a tin foil hat, I suspect, much like gasoline, it is an effort to run up the prices by the few big companies...... Create a shortage, there is no competition.....

Paul

What are your plans for the field next year?