Good agronomy is very important for achieving good yield and quality in forage crops. While good agronomy includes a fertility plan, seeding techniques, and harvest management, it also relies on proactive decision-making. The only way to know what is happening in a field before it is too late is to scout. Taking regular walks through hay fields and observing them carefully is important throughout the growing season, however, there are some special things producers should assess when scouting in the early spring.
At green-up
When the crop has broken dormancy and is putting out new buds, it is time to do a plant count and root health assessment to determine how well the alfalfa overwintered. This first scouting is a producer’s early warning system, letting them know if there is a problem before they are even able to start field work. If the lawn is green and the hay field isn’t, that could be a warning sign!
The target number of healthy alfalfa plants per square foot varies depending on the age of the stand. Alfalfa stands thin naturally over time but can compensate because the crown of older plants is larger and sends up more shoots. Table 1 shows how many healthy plants per square foot should be present in the field. Where there are ranges, pure stands should be near the high end, while alfalfa/grass mixtures can be at the low end of the range.
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