Alfalfa Irrigation, the last kiss before the cutting.

Good alfalfa production depends on good irrigation scheduling in the desert.   The most critical irrigation is the one prior to the cutting.  Fields that lack sufficient water for good regrowth after the cutting suffer significant yield losses.    Each day a cutting is delayed after an irrigation is worth 4 days in the windrow for curing (1.4 Kc vs 0.3 Kc).    Below is a table to assist local growers in estimating the minimum time needed for the soil to be sufficiently dry to swath the field.