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| That's an interesting system you're thinking about and with a solid market for both pumpkins and alfalfa, it's definitely worth exploring. I've seen folks play with similar setups, and while it takes some dialing in, it can work with the right management.
Alfalfa could make a decent living mulch between pumpkin rows if you can stay on top of a few key things:
Establishment timing – Ideally, you'd want the alfalfa in and established the fall before or very early spring, so it’s not competing heavily with young pumpkin seedlings. Alfalfa can be aggressive if seeded fresh in spring, especially before pumpkins are up and going.
Row layout & access – Your 7-foot spacing gives you a decent buffer. Consider planting your pumpkin rows wide enough to allow for one or two mowings before the vines start running maybe bump it to 8–10 ft if your equipment needs it. That first cutting of alfalfa should come just before or as the vines start stretching out.
Competition & moisture – Alfalfa is deep-rooted and fixes nitrogen, but it can pull moisture and nutrients too. In a dry year or on lighter soils, it might stress your pumpkins a bit. Keeping it mowed early will help with that, and by the time alfalfa regrows after vine die-off, it’ll be less of a threat.
Regrowth and seed harvest – If you can get a fall cutting once the pumpkins are done and the vines are down, you should be able to let the alfalfa go to seed, depending on frost timing. Just know that alfalfa seed harvest is a bit more nuanced than hay cutting — usually more common in drier regions and requires some timing around pod drying.
Another option could be mixing in something like clover or low-growing trefoil that competes less aggressively but still fixes nitrogen and offers some ground cover. But if you’ve got a market for alfalfa hay and/or seed, and you can manage the early season mowing, it's a smart double-use of that ground.
Might take a year or two of trialing to get the timing and layout just right, but it’s a creative way to stack enterprises on a small acreage. Keep us posted always good to hear how mixed systems like this work out. | |
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alfalfa production questions?
