Can you plant timothy and alfalfa together?

Timothy has been used for many decades in combination with alfalfa for hay production. It is not generally productive in mid-summer, lacks grazing tolerance, and is suffers from heat and drought stress.

What is the best grass to mix with alfalfa?

Meadow fescue and orchardgrass

This cool-season grass is a viable forage choice for alfalfa-grass mixtures. For lactating cow forage, the mixture of alfalfa with meadow fescue and tall fescue resulted in higher yields and higher-quality forage compared to alfalfa alone.

What grows well with alfalfa?

Alfalfa often may be seeded with a companion crop like oats to control weeds and erosion and provide a crop of grain or hay. Clear seeding alfalfa alone, without a companion crop, also works well.

What can I seed with alfalfa?

Management. Nurse Crops: Spring seeded alfalfa/grass mixtures can be planted with a small grain nurse crop such as oats, barley, or spring triticale. Use 1/3 – ½ seeding rates of the nurse crop to avoid over competing with new seedlings.

How much timothy do you plant per acre?

Seeding depth of Timothy should be 1⁄2 inch. A firm, weed-free seedbed is a key to a successful planting. Common seeding rates are 8 to 10 pounds/acre when seeded alone and 4 to 6 pounds/acre when seeded in mixtures.

Planting Hay - Timothy, Orchard Grass

Is Timothy hay hard to grow?

It is hardy, and when cut for hay has a very low moisture content, making it more resilient to mold and rot when baled or stored. Timothy hay has a pleasing fragrance and good nutritional value. It is commonly mixed with other feedstocks. Growing timothy grass is straightforward and simple.

Does timothy grass come back every year?

It is a cool season perennial grass with rapid growth. The plant gets its name from Timothy Hanson, who promoted the grass in the 1700s as a pasture grass. The grass is native to Europe, temperate Asia and North Africa. The plant is adapted to numerous climates and performs well in even cold, northern regions.

Can you overseed Timothy?

Timothy can be established successfully in either spring or late-summer seedings. However, fall seedings are more successful because the cool fall weather is more suitable for timothy growth, and weeds are less of a problem.

Can you plant alfalfa without tilling?

If you can do it, no-till alfalfa is worth trying. It works really well in bean stubble and almost as well in small grain stubble. It can be a bit more difficult in corn and milo stubble, especially if there is much row ridging. Be sure to kill any early weeds with Roundup or Gramoxone before planting.

Do you have to reseed alfalfa every year?

Alfalfa is a crop that naturally tends to lessen its density over time because alfalfa doesn't reseed itself. Planting more alfalfa into current alfalfa fields is not recommended since alfalfa has autotoxicity characteristics.

What do you plant before alfalfa?

First, spray the growing grass sod with a non-selective herbicide. Second, no-till plant an annual forage crop, such as winter wheat or rye, to smother regrowth of any grass sod or break-hard sod. Third, harvest winter annual forage crops. Fourth, spray herbicide before planting alfalfa.

Can you plant alfalfa and clover together?

ADDED NUTRITION: Overseeding an alfalfa field with frosty berseem clover can increase the nutritional value and yield of hay. Frosty berseem clover mixed with alfalfa can boost yields of hay by almost 30%.

What makes alfalfa grow faster?

When growing alfalfa, choose an area with plenty of full sun. Also look for a well-draining area with a soil pH level between 6.8 and 7.5. Prior to planting you should clean the area, work the soil, and remove any debris. Pure alfalfa seed can be purchased from most feed supply stores.

How many years does alfalfa last?

Alfalfa can remain productive in stands from four to ten years or more, but as plant population declines renovation eventually becomes necessary.

Can you seed grass into alfalfa?

Interseeding grass into existing alfalfa takes timely planting and haying, but can improve both the land and the livestock.

Can you mix red clover and alfalfa?

Overall, 50:50 was the optimal mixing ratio of alfalfa with red clover, showing good fermentation quality with lower pH and higher lactic acid concentration, reduced protease activities and proteolysis compared with pure alfalfa silage, and also more total N content than pure red clover silage.

How long does it take for alfalfa to establish?

It takes plants about 40 days to become able to regrow from the crown after cutting. If plants are cut before this development occurs — maybe to control weeds — at least one set of leaves must remain on the plant for it to regrow.

Can you drill alfalfa into grass?

The best way to get alfalfa going is from scratch. If you were really determined to have alfalfa in this situation (and given that you cannot plow) you would have to spray and kill the existing stand and establish alfalfa or an alfalfa-grass mix into the residue with a no-till drill.

Can you broadcast alfalfa?

Alfalfa seed can be broadcast planted on a clean, tilled seedbed instead of planted with a drill seeder. If broadcast seeding is used, the seedbed should be firmed with a roller or cultipacker before seeding. After the seed is broadcast, it should be covered with a roller or cultipacker.

Is timothy or orchard grass better for horses?

Orchardgrass and timothy hay are both excellent, but orchard grass gets the nod as the best of the two. It has a higher protein and calorie content and balanced levels of calcium and phosphorus.

When Should timothy be cut for hay?

1st cut Timothy is cut in June and July. It has a beautiful green color, has more stem and seed heads than the other cuts. It is high in fiber and is cut early so there is plenty of nutrition in the hay.

Is Timothy grass the same as Timothy hay?

Timothy Grass has a slightly higher protein and is greener in appearance. Timothy Hay is a mix of leaves and stems from Timothy grass, which is a perennial bunch grass. Timothy Hay is high in fiber and low in protein which is a combination critical to the health of rabbits and other small animals.

What is the easiest hay to grow?

Alfalfa, clover and fescue grasses are popular hay types, as well as brome and timothy grasses. Oats and millet can also be useful for hay crops. The best hay to raise will depend not only on growing conditions, but also on the livestock that will eventually eat the hay and what their feed preferences may be.

Will deer eat timothy grass?

Deer very rarely are attracted to or eat any pasture grasses such as timothy. I don't recommend planting timothy to attract deer. Alfalfa is very difficult to maintain.

What kills timothy grass?

Apply glyphosate when no rain is expected for at least six hours. Glyphosate kills any grass it contacts.