by Dustin Johnson 

I’ve started to receive a lot of questions from our dealers and farmers about fall management in alfalfa stands and how dry soil conditions and a shortage of available forage might be cause for us to re-assess our normal plans for this year’s situation. Here are my thoughts on the top two questions I have received. 

Late Summer Seeding Alfalfa in Dry Soil

We continue to be very dry in north central Indiana and it seems like every forecasted rain only results in some light sprinkles. Many farmers who made plans to summer seed alfalfa have hesitated due to dry soils. They are concerned that the seeds will germinate and dry out, or that the seeds will germinate too late in the season when rains finally arrive.

Considering these risks, should a farmer wait to plant in the spring?

I have encouraged our farmers to go ahead and plant. There are many advantages to seeding in late summer in terms of weed control and crop yield next year. It takes investment and effort to have a field available to seed this time of year, and this has already been done. 

Alfalfa is a crop that is adapted to warm dry climates. In my experience, alfalfa seedlings do better with drought than other crops we grow. Alfalfa seedlings have impressive dormancy mechanisms to avoid sprouting with too little moisture, and more aggressive root growth than other species when they do germinate. The ability of alfalfa seedlings to utilize fog and dew should not be underestimated this time of year as well. 

If the result is a partial stand of alfalfa, seed can be added next spring without risk of autotoxicity. The delay in stand productivity caused by the need to replant in the spring is roughly the same as choosing to wait and make the initial seeding in the spring. Bottom line – it ain’t gonna grow in the bag! 

Final Harvest Date of Alfalfa

While the primary feature of this summer’s weather pattern was drought, there were also long stretches of July and August that were hazy and humid with frequent chances of rain. Many farmers, like myself, got behind on our cutting schedules. As the end of the season approaches, we still have fields that could be harvested one more time. But should we? 

Alfalfa stand longevity depends on a rest period between the final cutting and a freeze that ends the growing season. The more sugars are stored in the alfalfa root system, the more it can resist freezing and the cell damage that results. This is the same chemistry at work in your car’s radiator: The more sugar in your antifreeze, the lower the freezing point of your coolant. Ideally, we should give our alfalfa plants six weeks of rest before the end of the growing season. For most of our customers, an ideal final harvest date is September 10th to September 20th. 

The problem with my recommendation is that we don’t really know when the end of the growing season is coming or how harsh the winter will be. To make the best decision, one must weigh the risk of running out of feed with the risk of stand damage and lower yields next year. Sometimes taking a stand risk is the right thing to do.

If it’s determined that risking a late harvest is the right thing to do, try to take that chance on a field that is nearing the end of its productive life. Make plans to evaluate these stands at the break of dormancy in March of next year – there will still be time to order seed for a new spring planting of alfalfa or to spring plant a cereal grain like oats or triticale to help make up for a shortage next spring. 

Hopefully, this gives you some things to think about. Farming is full of tough decisions and risks! Each situation is unique. You’re always welcome to reach out to me - just comment below. I’d be happy to help you walk through the decision-making process.