Fall Rest Period for Alfalfa

Key Points When is the fall rest period? The fall rest period (sometimes called “critical fall harvest period”) for alfalfa is 450 growing degree days, base 5°C — or approximately 6-weeks — before the average date of the first killing frost (-4°C for several hours), when alfalfa stops growing. Not cutting during this period allows […]

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Forage Report – May 8, 2013

Alfalfa winterkill is particularly severe in the Ottawa Valley and New Liskeard areas. There are many options to consider for emergency forage, depending on the calendar date, urgency for short term feed, and forage yield and nutrient quality requirements. Refer to “Forage Options When Alfalfa Winterkill Strikes”  (https://fieldcropnews.com/?p=6680)  Forage supplies are extremely tight, and forage […]

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Alfalfa Winter Injury

By early to mid April, the base of healthy alfalfa plants will have firm buds and numerous new green shoots with 2 to 5 inches (5 to 13 cm) of growth.  Damaged plants, on the other hand, will show no or minimal green-up.  Digging up plants and cutting the root open lengthwise is helpful in […]

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