Startup seeding a hay field. Questions

[lynxpilot]

I've got a fenced off area of about 10 acres that the previous owner used as his hay field. I think the grass out there is brome, not exactly sure, but the horses and cattle don't like it and the horses lost a lot of weight eating it unsupplemented. For a bunch of reasons I won't get into now, I want to replant the area in alfalfa. I just bought a 72' rotary tiller (which has been a blast so far by the way) and was going to till all 10 and do a spring plant of alfalfa. Spoke with the local extension agent and he said I'd be better off planting an annual to choke out the old grass, then till and plant the alfalfa in the fall. I was a little disappointed as I wanted my alfalfa source THIS year. If I till the snot out of the area and plant, is there anything else I can do to enhance my alfalfa experience or was this guy indisputably correct? Thanks in advance.

Dave

If you till it then it will be a waste. Alfalfa establishes it's roots deep. That's how you get a good stand. Asking a new stand of alfalfa to go through hard ground that hasn't been worked in a long time is asking alot. Ideally you should roundup the grass. That will kill it off. Then you need to plow or chisel plow the field really good. Next disc it down and finally harrow it. That would be the proper way to prepare it for alfalfa.

[GAFarmer]

I say use a chemical killer.

[Pat]

GAFARMER, A chemical killer as opposed to Roundup?

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[Pat]

lynxpilot, The annual rye is a good suggestion. Any self seeding should taper off later as the alfalfa gets well entrenched. Of course it is hard to give the most meaningful advice when we have no clue as to your location which sure matters. Rainfall expected between now and the first frost? Soil type, etc?

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[egon]

Alfalfa will not do well if your PH is much below 6. It may not be the best grass for grazing horses on.

Serious cultivation to loosen soil [ as mentioned ] and more cultivation may be required to get all the old latent grass seed to geminate and be cultivated under.

Proper soil conditioning may take some time.
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Egon

[GAFarmer]

Pardon me, I shouldn't try posting here until AFTER I have had my first Coke of the day. Sorry, you right, I wrong.