Mustard and alfafa

[kenojoe]

All of my neighbors have wild mustard growing like crazy this year. My question is, why is it only in the alfalfa? I just have grass hay and not one mustard plant, look over the fence and the alfalfa field is a sea of yellow. How do you get rid of it without destroying the alfalfa? My neighbor said he has never cut hay this early, although it is just about ready. He wants to round bale it and feed to his cows next fall just to get rid of the seed heads but is afraid it won't cure. Some have tried to set the their bushogs up high enough to clip the mustard heads and leave the alfalfa alone. It is a real problem this year.

What have you folks done with mustard, and has it been just in your alfalfa? Thanks Joe

 

[1wlimo]

The mustard will struggle to compete with a good grass sward

I would cut it with the alfalfa before it has set any seed, if the crimping is good it will dry out good

 

[ga.prime]

All of my neighbors have wild mustard growing like crazy this year. My question is, why is it only in the alfalfa?

Could be the mustard seed was mixed in with the alfalfa seed that they planted.

 

[kenojoe]

We have wonder about mustard mixed in but think it unlikely. This stuff is all over the county and I'm sure the seed didn't come from the same place. At $5-6 per pound I would sure like to think you would get good seed.

 

[novatech]

The wild mustard is literally taking over some hay fields in my part of Texas. Last week I cut and raked about 20 acres. This week I will burn it. The ground is bare beneath it. A lot of people are just baleing it along with the rye. I don't sell weeds so I burn the thick parts. I will shred down the other parts and hope I will not pick much up on the first hay cut.
Next fall I will spray herbicide and plant oats to try and keep it down.

 

[TiffanyS]

All of my neighbors have wild mustard growing like crazy this year. My question is, why is it only in the alfalfa? I just have grass hay and not one mustard plant, look over the fence and the alfalfa field is a sea of yellow. How do you get rid of it without destroying the alfalfa? My neighbor said he has never cut hay this early, although it is just about ready. He wants to round bale it and feed to his cows next fall just to get rid of the seed heads but is afraid it won't cure. Some have tried to set the their bushogs up high enough to clip the mustard heads and leave the alfalfa alone. It is a real problem this year.

What have you folks done with mustard, and has it been just in your alfalfa? Thanks Joe