Page 25 - MWC 8-11-2022s

SEEDING PERENNIAL what type of seeding you are
continued from page 15 making:
•Soil fertility and pH:
next spring, autotoxicity will The recommended soil pH for
be a concern. alfalfa is 6.5 to 6.8. Forage
Grassy weeds are proba- grasses and clovers should
bly present in thin or weak have a pH of 6.0 or above. The
areas of new spring seedings. optimal soil phosphorus level
As soon as possible, consider for forage legumes is 30 to 50
applying a grass herbicide to ppm Mehlich-3 and for grasses
pure legume stands or a broad- 20 to 30 ppm Mehlich-3. The
leaf herbicide if needed in optimal soil potassium level is
pure grass stands. If broadleaf 120 to 170 ppm for most of our
weeds are present in legume soils.
stands or mixed grass-legume •Check herbicide histo-
stands, effective herbicide op- ry of field. A summary table
tions are much more limited, of herbicide rotation inter-
because most broadleaf herbi- vals for alfalfa and clovers is
cides labeled for use in alfalfa available at http://go.osu.edu/
or other legume forages are herbrotationintervals. For-
only effective when the weeds age grasses are not included
are quite small. Before apply- in that table, so check the la-
ing a herbicide, check the label bels of any herbicides applied
for pre-plant time intervals to the field in the last 2 years
that may be required. Use only for any restrictions that might
herbicides with little or no exist for forage grass seedings.
time interval between applica- •Seed selection: Be sure
tion and seeding forages. Take to use high quality seed of
a cutting in early August and adapted varieties and use
then immediately drill seed fresh inoculum of the proper
into the thin areas. Try to time Rhizobium bacteria for legume
drilling the seed when you see seeds. “Common” seed (variety
some rain in the forecast, espe- not stated) is usually lower
cially if the soil is dry. yielding and not as persistent,
The following steps improve and from our trials the savings
the chances for stand estab- in seed cost is lost within the
lishment success regardless of first year or two through lower
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The Midwest Cattleman · August 11, 2022 · P25
forage yields. Do not harvest a new peren-
•Planting date: Planting nial forage stand this fall. The
of alfalfa and other legumes ONLY exception to this rule
should be completed between is perennial and Italian rye-
late July and mid-August grass plantings. Mow or har-
in Northern regions and be- vest those grasses to a stub-
tween early and late August ble height of two and a half to
in Southern regions. Most three inches in late November
cool-season perennial grasses to improve winter survival.
can be planted a little later. Do NOT cut any other forage
Check your state’s Agronomy species in the fall, especially
Guide for specific guidelines. legumes.
•Planter calibration: If Scout your new forage seed-
coated seed is used, be aware ing this fall on a regular basis.
that coatings can account for Post-emergence herbicide op-
up to one-third of the weight of tions exist for alfalfa to control
the seed. This affects the num- late summer and fall emerg-
ber of seeds planted in planters ing winter annual broadleaf
set to plant seed on a weight weeds. A mid- to late fall ap-
basis. Seed coatings can also plication of Butyrac (2,4-DB),
dramatically alter how the bromoxynil, Pursuit or Raptor
seed flows through the drill, are the primary herbicide op-
so calibrate the drill or plant- tions for winter annual broad-
er with the seed to be planted leaf weeds. Fall application
and don’t depend on planter is much more effective than
calibration charts There is an a spring application for con-
excellent video on calibrating trol of these weeds especially
drills available at https://for- if wild radish/wild turnip
ages.osu.edu/video. are in the weed mix. Pursuit
•Seed placement: The and Raptor can control winter
recommended seeding depth annual grasses in the fall in
for forages is one-quarter to pure legume stands but can-
one-half inch deep. It is better not be used in a mixed alfalfa/
to err on the side of planting grass planting.
shallow rather than too deep.
OSU
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