Lucerne : Points to be Observed in its Establishment

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 79, Issue 2, 15 August 1949, Page 135

Lucerne : Points to be Observed in its Establishment

SEASONAL NOTES Contributed by the EXTENSION DIVISION r 3 'HE writer has not seen a successful lucerne crop in a A few of the minor farming districts of New Zealand, for example, northern Taranaki and the west coast of the South Island, though of course it is possible it may have been grown successfully in some or all of these districts. Really successful fields of lucerne, however, have been seen in all the major districts, and outstandingly-successful stands in Poverty Bay, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Marlborough, Canterbury, and Otago.

IN New Zealand lucerne has been successful on all types of soils except peats and clays (which are really far from common) and those with hard pans or water relatively close to the surface. On ordinary well-drained loams and sandy soils lucerne is often very successful.

It is therefore not easy to explain why a relatively small acreage of lucerne is grown in New Zealand today when a successful stand of lucerne may be made very productive of high-class feed which is available for stock at critical periods.

However, it is certain that many farmers are reluctant to try to grow lucerne because they think it is a somewhat difficult crop of which to make a success. This view may have several causes. First, about 30 years ago many farmers grew lucerne without making a success of it, and their sons, who are today middle-aged men, remember that it was grown with only indifferent results on the properties they now farm. What these middle-aged farmers do not know is that some of the so-called authorities of 30 years ago, including some officers of the Department of Agriculture, advocated, at times quite strongly, practices in the growing of lucerne that would be frowned on today.

Again, some growers of lucerne today do things which militate against success, and other farmers who have not tried lucerne do not fail to note the lack of success and hence decide that lucerne is not worth trying.

Why There are Failures

What are these practices that militate against success? A main one is to take the first cut of the season too late. Lucerne is normally ready for its first cut before the weather is settled enough for haymaking, and when it is ready the lucerne should be cut and made into silage, along with the produce of early-mown pastures if necessary.

Leaving over-mature lucerne crowded with weeds, especially grasses, weakens the stand, as late cutting encourages grass competition and destroys the new shoots from the crown which are coming forward for the next crop. The longer weeds are left without cutting the longer they compete with lucerne, whereas when the cut is taken at the correct stage of growth it is usually followed by an almost pure growth of lucerne without any competitive growth.

Another practice leading to failure is sowing at the wrong date, either too late or too early. The suitable date varies from district to district, but if the farmer has any doubt about the suitable time for sowing lucerne, he should ask the Department of Agriculture’s local instructor.

Another cause of failure with lucerne is the removal of the last growth of the season in an unsuitable manner. Preferably, lucerne at the beginning of the winter should have several inches of growth, which serves two purposes: it builds up the crop for the following season and, by acting as a covering to weeds, it tends to check them. Some farmers when they have a half cut of lucerne at the end of the season seem to feel that it must be used and so, as it is not worth mowing, they graze it off. This is really bad practice, because weeds, including grasses and clovers, especially those which grow in lucerne’s dormant season, are encouraged at the expense of the lucerne.

Another point which was mentioned recently by the English “Farmer and Stockbreeder” of September 21, 1948, was: “The idea with lucerne is to let it store up a good reserve of food in the roots for next season’s early growth.”

Successful Establishment not Expensive

Despite much opinion to the contrary, lucerne is not an expensive crop to establish; it probably costs less today than a good permanent pasture. It requires a good preparation of the seed-bed begun well before sowing, and often, because of trouble with weeds that might otherwise arise, it is well for lucerne to follow an old pasture, but it may quite well follow real cleaning crops such as a well-grown crop of potatoes. Usually the use of lime and phosphatic manure at time of establishment is advisable. Inoculation, which may serve only as an insurance, is very desirable and it is sometimes essential. If a farmer has not previously grown lucerne successfully, he should consult the Department’s local instructor.

As lucerne, when successful, is a most valuable crop, farmers should give it the conditions it requires as far as possible. It is not very exacting in its soil requirements, but it thrives on a well-drained soil of open texture. The preparation of the seed-bed should be similar to that for a permanent pasture. When lucerne is to follow pasture, the pasture should be broken up early by a skim ploughing, to be followed by deep ploughing and subsequent cultivation to make a firm seed-bed. To assure a minimum of weed seeds in the surface layers surface cultivation is undertaken to destroy crops of seedlings before sowing of the lucerne. Generally the sowing of lime and reverted superphosphate with the lucerne seed is advisable; only in exceptional cases, such as on the schist soils in Central Otago, may liming and fertilising be omitted. To sum up: 1. If preparatory cultivation for lucerne has not already been carried out, it should as a rule be begun early in spring. 2. In selecting a field for lucerne two facts should be remembered: (a) it deserves good soil; (b) •it is not capable of battling against weeds, and thus often does better if it follows old grass or a real cleaning crop. 3. Good drainage of lucerne soils is highly desirable.

Thirty-eight years ago Clifton wrote in “The New Zealand Journal of Agriculture' about the Department’s opinion of the importance of forage crops: “It esteems lucerne above all others as the most valuable.” Today, because of the quantity of hay and of fresh greenfeed which is available from successful lucerne and the time of the year it is available, Clifton’s opinion still stands.