replanting a old feild

4010wy · Aug 23, 2016

Leased a 40 acre feild was mostly weeds and some alfalfa. Last replant over 15 years ago. Roundup it in July as per weed and pest recommendation. They sujest going strait to Roundup ready alfalfa not a rotation of barley hay. Ground is fairly rocky and I do have decent irrigation. End goal is alfalfa that I can get 2 cuts off and then back graze. Oh we are at 6000ft and in western wyoming. All I currently have for implements is a land roller,and a disk. So will a no till seeder do the job? Tractors are 2wd 100 hp or less

rrlund · Aug 23, 2016

If you just killed it off in July of this year,I don't think you'll get a new stand of alfalfa in it if you seed it already. Auto toxicity will kill it. The old roots put out a toxin that will kill the new plants.

farmerwithmutt · Aug 23, 2016

How much alfalfa was left? There might be toxins in the field . I have had good luck reseeding back into alfalfa but waiting is best. How long are you going to have this property? Alfalfa is a long term investment I usually favor a grass alfalfa mix it would give you a better drying time plus if you're going to graze less problems.
What i do is disk several times and if you hit it when it's dry you can break it up pretty good than I've used a regular drill and plant a roller is a good bonus. Can you work it this fall and plant early next spring ? It might be safer plus any weeds that started over winter will be killed by a light disk in the spring

paul · Aug 24, 2016

I too would be concerned about the auto toxicity issue.

The experts say you need at least 3 months of good growing weather after the last alfalfa plant dies to get rid of the toxins. Most of us like to take a year off.....

Paul

David G · Sep 5, 2016

I would do a year of RR beans on it, then back to alfalfa.

replanting a old feild

4010wy

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rrlund

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farmerwithmutt

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paul

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David G

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