Alfalfa growers have a tool at their disposal courtesy of Extension that can help them determine the best time to cut their stands. The cut time can dictate just how persistent your alfalfa is. Scott Newell joins us. He’s the alfalfa outreach specialist at the UW-Madison’s Division of Extension. He says fall cutting management is an important part of managing alfalfa persistence and maintaining productivity through the life of a stand. When we cut alfalfa, it takes energy to push new shoots and regrow. All that energy at first has to come from storage in the crown of the plant. This happens until the new regrowth is about 6-8 inches tall, at which point it can start to replenish those root reserves. The UW Alfalfa Cutting Tool can help you find the best dates to cut alfalfa.