Discussion Board - alfalfa

Like the other fellas said, most wait a year or even rotate a season, but ya should be okay.

Allan

While up here in MN there very much is a srong toxic effect.

As here, some folks say a month or 2; others say a whole season.

The pros around here say at least 3 months of good growing type weather. But the trick is you need all the alfalfa crowns _dead_ for the 3 months, typically alfalfa is hard to kill & 10% or so will live on - causing problems.

I've always waited a year or 2 myself, for the price of alfalfa seed, I would hate to push it. Like to use up the N, & get the P & K back in balance anyhow.

--->Paul

I've heard there should be at least 3 months of 'good growing weather' between the last living alfalfa & a new seeding. Sometimes it won't, but many times the auto-toxicity will cause problems if you try to rush that.

--->Paul

actually it is recommended to be one year between seedings. There was just an article in progressive haygrower about this issue and it was shown that sometimes there were varying results and some ideas about soil types, leaching and so forth. But the bottom line is that to be safe wait a year. I have had bad results in side by side comparisons with new fields even after a fall burn down, chisel plow and then a spring seeding the following spring.