Fertilizer for hay field

1965 Oliver 1650 · Sep 4, 2008

I have oats and alfalfa drilled in my field this spring by my neighbor. Got a good crop of oats, but now the weeds started in strong. I am wondering if I fertilized this fall, would this help it get going good in the spring?? ( Was alfalfa,timothy and orchard grass planted )I had 3 ton of lime put on last fall according to what they told me after i sent in a soil sample. Just looking for what seems to work best. I am in northern IL. Thanks.

paul · Sep 4, 2008

Weeds are not at all unusual at this time. Not a fert problem.

Alfalfa - and grasses too - use P & K. Were your soil tests up to snuff on those, typically one applies 3 years worth of P & K before planting alfalfa. Hard to incorporate it after it's planted. Hard to afford 3 years worth these days too!

Your alf will make all the N needed, so don't waste money on that.

--->Paul

hayray · Sep 5, 2008

If you have a lot of weeds after the first cut you may not have had good seed establishment by now and this may be giving the weeds a competitive advantage, but yes, not a fertilizer issue at this point. A few weeds no big deal but you had stated that the weeds are coming in strong so I assume you have a lot of weeds.

Allan in NE · Sep 5, 2008

That is plumb azzed normal.

Takes that alfalfa a while to gear itself down, make a stand and the second year it will be there.

Mow the weeds and quit frettin' about it.

Allan

Charlie M · Sep 5, 2008

New seedings can be quite odd. I once planted timothy and clover along with oats, had a good oat crop and was almost positive nothing happened with the hay seed. Didn't see much sign of anything the remainder of the fall. I went down in the spring with the plow to plow it up and replant and found the best field of clover I ever had. Its been a great hay field for about 10 years now.I would just mow the weeds and wait for spring time.

1965 Oliver 1650 · Sep 5, 2008

Thanks for all the comments. I will just mow it off and wait to see what it does in the spring.

Anonymous-0 · Sep 7, 2008

Curious about your comment re applying three years worth of fertilizer at seeding time. Never heard of that concept. Always topdressed P&K on existing stands in the spring, or spring and after first cutting. Rain provides incorporation. Split application spread out the bills a bit. Usually used barley as a nurse crop, left the stand for three years, then plowed it under.

paul · Sep 7, 2008

We use oats here for the nurse crop. Typically 3 year stand, sometimes longer. Actually I picked up some land with wet grass patch on it, so don't have alfalfa at the moment, until I work through my hay supply - sheez does that patch produce, if I can drive on it...

A few studies have shown incorporating 3 years worth of P & K gives better yields in alfalfa. One of them especially will not move, even with rain, just sits on the surface. In dry times the alfalfa isn't able to pick it up from the surface.

--->Paul

Fertilizer for hay field

1965 Oliver 1650

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hayray

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Allan in NE

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Charlie M

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1965 Oliver 1650

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Anonymous-0

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paul

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