– Mark Sulc, OSU Extension Forage Specialist
There are risks to consider when making a fall harvest of forage legumes after the first week of September.
The best time to take a last harvest of alfalfa and other legumes is sometime in early September in Ohio, for the least risk to the long-term health of the stand. These forages need a fall period of rest to replenish carbohydrate and protein reserves in the taproots that are used for winter survival and regrowth next spring.
Many forage producers around the state have been cutting this past week and are continuing into this week. It will be ideal if this is indeed the last harvest of the season. But some growers might try to squeeze out another late cutting, and others have fields that are not quite ready for harvest right now. Like most farming decisions, there are trade-offs and risk factors to consider when making a fall harvest of forage legumes after the first week of September. This article reviews best management practices and risk factors affecting fall cutting management.
The decision of when to take the last harvest with the least risk to the stand can be boiled down to two choices: 1) cut early enough . . .
Continue reading Late Season Forage Harvest Management