The Rural Voice, 1989-06, Page 60ADVICE
CARING FOR YOUR
ALFALFA STAND
To maintain a healthy stand of al-
falfa, the importance of proper fertiliza-
tion cannot be emphasized too much.
The P and K tests in soils should be
maintained around 45 and 400 respec-
tively, so the amount of fertilizer ap-
plied annually must be increased ac-
cording to the total amount removed.
For high quality forage, alfalfa
should be harvested at late bud to first
bloom with subsequent harvests every
30 to 35 days. High fertility creates root
reserves for rapid, uniform regrowth.
Growers sometimes argue over the
best cutting height. Harvesting at a low
stubble height of about 1 1/2 to 2 inches
instead of 4 to 5 inches helps reduce the
buildup of diseases and insects. It is
good sanitation to remove all of the top
growth. If alfalfa is harvested at a height
of 4 to 5 inches, regrowth will be more
uneven and will develop from auxiliary
buds on the remaining stubble.
Soluble carbohydrates or food re-
serves are stored in the crown and tap-
root of alfalfa. These reserves are pro-
duced, stored, and used in a cyclic way
which is accelerated by cutting.
When growth begins in early spring,
food reserves are depleted until the top
growth is about 6 to 8 inches and then
soluble carbohydrates are again moved
from the tops to the crown and taproot.
For high -yielding alfalfa where four
or five cuttings are taken, it is critical to
manage the crop so that food reserves
arc at the optimum level or high enough
to allow rapid regrowth after harvest.
Adequate fertility is key.
The last harvest in the fall should
occur around 35 to 40 days before the
average killing frost. This allows
enough growth to occur again so that the
soluble carbohydrates are built back up
for excellent winter survival.
A late harvest may be taken from an
excellent stand which is well fertilized
on a well -drained soil and has continued
to grow until a killing frost. But this har-
vest should be cut at a higher stubble
height, about 4 to 5 inches. This leaves
some insulation, helps collect snow
cover, and stops icing over in spring.0
Dr. D. A. Miller
University of Illinois
onimw
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JUNE 1989 59