Alfalfa Ground

[Shaggy98]

I've got some alfalfa ground that I need to place back in crop production before I put it back to alfalfa in 2 or 3 years. Can I no-till drill winter wheat directly into the freshly hayed and sprayed stubble or do I need to rip or till the ground first? It's been in hay production for approximately 10 years if that makes a difference. I'm not against using radishes or other no-till tools to keep from tilling this ground if they will deem themselves successful.

[highyields]

in my area if alfalfa gets brome grass in the stand the grass can give the wheat some kind of a virus that effects the wheat 

[Shaggy98]

The alfalfa did have a small amout of grass moving in on one end of it, but we sprayed it after the first cutting and then the alfalfa seemed to keep it choked out thus far.  Now that's not saying it won't return after I've drilled the wheat.  I was mainly worried whether or not the soil would be fit enough to be no-tilled or if i'd need to till it first.  My neighbor has a subsoiler and he offered to deep rip it for me that would still allow me to no-till drill it but wasn't sure if that would be enough.

[JacobMcCandless]

If you were to mow it and then smoke it, I don't think it would stand much of a chance.  Grass retracts into the roots but I'm not sure about alfalfa.

Then go ahead with the wheat.  Could be a waste of time if the wheat can grow through the alfalfa.

[Shaggy98]

Alfalfa should be easy to kill, but we'll see.  I'd figure a good dose of gly mixed with dicamba and 2,4-D should do the trick.

[clayton58]

No sure why you would need to do any tillage. Alfalfa has an extensive root structure at least six feet deep. Should have excellent soil structure. Why ruin it? Do keep in mind that one spraying will not kill it off esp if there is not much regrowth when it's sprayed. Wheat should be able to outgrow it in the spring though

[Shaggy98]

Clayton, would tank mixing Finesse herbicide with liquid fertilizer in the early spring help to control the spring greenup of the alfalfa?  I generally top dress around Feb-March (depending on overall winter weather conditions) and wasn't sure if adding the Finesse would be beneficial.

[clayton58]

I don't know the answer to that. My guess is not since the alfalfa would likely be dormant at that time. But I can't really say. If you can get a couple weeks growth before you spray this fall gly plus dicamba and d should get a lot of it

[Shaggy98]

Exactly my plans, but custom hay guy wants to put it up one more time within the next couple weeks and I plan on drilling either the last week of Sept or 1st week of Oct so I wouldn't have much regrowth, if any at all.  I wasn't sure if the residual control of Finesse would prevent any spring greenup from occuring.  Might be a question I need to ask my agronomist, guess that's why I pay him.  Thanks for your input.

[farmerguy89]

No need to rip. Increase rates due to wireworms , seeding that is.

Do not use 24d pp in the fall: yield loss. Dicamba loss minimal: preferred.

Use potash to suppress takeall( main grass virus sometimes after hay). I have seen it bad, but not usually.