Smokinbenelli
Member
Does anyone plant alfalfa in their deer plots? Is it worth while?
Alfalfa
- Thread starter Smokinbenelli
- Start date
Absolutely. Wish I could direct you to the various QDMA Forum threads on the subject, but those SOB's shut it down.
Long story short -- it can make a tremendous food plot, but it requires a lot of study, prep, time and money. RR is the way to go.
What are you thinking of doing with it? How big would the plot be? What's your soil type and ph?
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There are a wide variety of alfalfas developed for different climate zones, both traditional and RR.
These days you can find ones that will stay green well into gun season in the north, without sacrificing winter hardiness.
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j-bird
Well-Known Member
Alfalfa is one of the more demanding foodplot crops there are in my opinion. I have added them before and though some still persist it is a minority in those plots now. I won't intentionally plant it again....clovers and chicory work just fine as a perennial plot AND are far more tolerant of more adverse conditions and require less maint in my opinion.
#1 - it requires full sun
#2 - it requires pretty fertile soil
#3 - it prefers a more well drained soil
#4 - you have to remove the clippings to keep a healthy stand (or have enough deer to keep it mowed down)
#5 - deer tend to only be interested in it when it is actively growing (they don't care for the mature stems)
#6 - the seed is expensive (RR even more so)
Just my 2 cents worth on my limited experience with it.
#1 - it requires full sun
#2 - it requires pretty fertile soil
#3 - it prefers a more well drained soil
#4 - you have to remove the clippings to keep a healthy stand (or have enough deer to keep it mowed down)
#5 - deer tend to only be interested in it when it is actively growing (they don't care for the mature stems)
#6 - the seed is expensive (RR even more so)
Just my 2 cents worth on my limited experience with it.
Smokinbenelli
Member
I got 3 different plots that I started working last year. 3ac, 1.7ac and 2ac. I am in northern pa( couple miles from Ny border). PH is around 6 or a little higher, added several ton of ag lime since last sample was taken. Right now I have 3 ac. In soybeans. 2 ac. In clover/ weeds( need some cleth) and the 1.7 has some brassica, clover and about 1/2 ac of corn
farmhunter
Well-Known Member
I haven't been able to get pH low enough to have a decent plot - getting it to grow some and getting a nice plot are two different things. White clover is happy with my soils and the deer are happy with it for very much of the year. My neighbor is a dairy farmer and his alfalfa feeds his cows wonderfully and my deer, about 2 months of the year. There is a time when the deer really really like it- but the rest of the time - eh in my opinion.
dogghr
Well-Known Member
It's not as complicated as people make it to be. Best plot I've got at moment in long drought. Deer love it except for few weeks after heavy freeze. Mines mixed w chicory clover and alfalfa. I explained my tech n my thread to another poster recently so won't go thru that again here. U can ck it out if u want. Go for it
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Smokinbenelli
Member
Thanks for the comments. I was just thinking about different things to try for the deer to see if they like it.
CuivreDog
Member
I have a one acre roundup ready alfalfa field and I would have to say it is one of my favorite plots. Very low maintenance (spray and mow twice a year) and it looks great. The deer are all over it from Spring green up until it's time to hit the brassicas in the dead of winter. I've had NONE of the issues folks describe as far as having to remove my clippings when I mow. The clippings do tend to windrow but as the new alfalfa grows it just pushes up the thatch and then the clippings fall off to the side of the growing plants. The plot is just finishing up it's 4th growing season since being frost seeded and it looks as good or better than it did the first year.
Initial cost was high but if you look at the long term maintenance cost over the long haul I would say my RR alfalfa was quite a bargain!
Initial cost was high but if you look at the long term maintenance cost over the long haul I would say my RR alfalfa was quite a bargain!
Smokinbenelli
Member
I guess next year I may have to give it a go on an acre and see how the animals like it.
Scott44
Active Member
Good luck!
I have planted one twice this year.I didn't go RR because most of my bad weeds are gly resistant and I can use poast for grass.So far each time I have planted we got at least 4 inches of rain that night.I am waiting now to see what happens.I will fill in later,either frost seed or in spring.
I rent out a 12 acre field to a farmer friend. He grows alfalfa on it. It does take a lot of work. He gets three cuttings off of it every year and makes 800 pound rectangular bales. He sells them to horse people and delivers it with his own truck. I get paid to have a food plot on my land. I do see the deer more interested in it right after it has been cut when the new growths are young and tender. It is the last food plot that gets activity in winters, sometimes with the deer pawing down through the snow to get to the food underneath. The deer tend to stay towards the edges of the fields as opposed to the middle of it. He applies a certain amount of potash per acre to it every time he cuts it, so he does put back into the field. I had another farmer who wanted to rent it to plant corn in it. It was very easy to say no to that guy.
