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Alfalfa Harvest in the Fall
After September 1, alfalfa harvest (livestock grazing or cutting for forage) should be delayed until just prior to or immediately following a killing frost. Minimum air temperatures to kill alfalfa will vary depending on duration of cold period, alfalfa variety, plant health, soil moisture level, etc., but daily low temperatures in the range of 20 to 26 degrees for several consecutive days normally will kill the plant. Alfalfa harvest later in the fall is required to insure that plant re-growth does not occur.
Alfalfa harvest during September will force the plant to use its energy for re-growth instead of storing energy (carbohydrates) for winter survival. Alfalfa needs adequate amounts of green foliage present in the fall to produce food which is stored in its crown and root system. The stored food is used during the fall plant-hardening process to prepare for winter, to sustain the plant during the winter, and to initiate new growth in the spring.
Alfalfa harvested in late fall should be cut to leave 4 to 8 inches of standing stubble and uncut alfalfa strips 1 to 3 feet wide, spaced 20 to 40 feet apart. These harvest techniques will allow snow to accumulate in the field to protect alfalfa crowns from winter cold and the influence of freezing and thawing on plant tissue. Also, additional soil moisture will be available for the crop in the future.
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