Alfalfa plots?
- Thread starter split toe
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dogghr
Well-Known Member
I have a ridge top plot I love which I think is going into its 7th year. The deer keep it mowed for me. I have occasionally had to mow it in summer as it began to get high but have never baled and never a problem. It is mixed with WC and Chicory. I overseed with WR each fall. For my hot south facing dry food plot on this ridge, its been great.
I did several years LC rotations before planting into alfalfa mix. I think this is a big help. Get your ph to 7 and amendments on the high end. I Fert spring or fall with 0-20-20 and boron. The latter, I provide by buying Borax at Dollar General in 4# box and mix in with Fert when applied.
Clover tends to dormant in Aug for me and the alfalfa and chicory cover that month until clover takes off again in Sept. Half the plot done with minor tillage, the other half T&M. Good luck.
I did several years LC rotations before planting into alfalfa mix. I think this is a big help. Get your ph to 7 and amendments on the high end. I Fert spring or fall with 0-20-20 and boron. The latter, I provide by buying Borax at Dollar General in 4# box and mix in with Fert when applied.
Clover tends to dormant in Aug for me and the alfalfa and chicory cover that month until clover takes off again in Sept. Half the plot done with minor tillage, the other half T&M. Good luck.
dogghr
Well-Known Member
About 1.5 ac adjacent to a rotated grain, clover, brassica plot and surrounded by pear, apple , and persimmon trees. The alfalfa came from my local feed store is a browsing type but I can't seem to find exact name in my records. I keep an exclusion cage on plot as most times it looks to have no alfalfa in it but cage proves deer are keeping it mowed. Only couple summers did I really have to mow it several times and that was after 2 severe winters leaving dpsm much lower.
Its pretty much 50/50 WC/alfalfa with some RC mixed in along with chicory I began to add later. I plan to spray for grasses this year first time in 4 years. Thistle has been a slight problem. Other than that, its a very attractive field for deer, turkey, and bear. After the first frost which is at time of acorn drop, the deer back off field then back on heavy by early Dec. Nearly a year round attraction, and like I said, in drought or hot weather, it and chicory are great.
I did the planting just out of boredom quite honestly and because most authorities, including LC to some degree, really said it was too much work and needed baled if planted. Bull crap on both, just plant size plot needed for the deer, and if mowing, mow a foot high.
I used to hunt adjacent to a 30 ac alfalfa farmers field and I saw how deer loved it yearound passing good acorns to munch on it.
But don't waste your time if ph and amendments and weed control aren't up to speed..There are pics on my property thread that I haven't updated for a while.
dogghr
Well-Known Member
If one goes to thread Foodplotting in the Mountains done by a crazy man, their are pics of alfalfa combo on posts #579,585,610,617. These include a pic of the T&M expansion taken 2018 after one year of planting. I didn't have time to find pic of exclusion cage which really shows the growth, I'll try take one this week. On these pics you have to look close for the alfalfa since like I said, deer keep it to the dirt. And don't have a coronary of the grasses and weeds, I don't. Its not a money making crop, just for deer.
Just took a look. That grazing pressure is amazing. No worries from me about grasses and weeds, they rarely bother me.I've been preparing a 3 acre field for alfalfa for a couple of years now. Long term cover crop strategy to enrich the soil using cover crops. Getting close and will probably plant fall 2020. I've done alfalfa a couple times in the past and while I liked it it was higher maintenance and I didn't see where it lasted any longer than clover combinations. May have been me or may be the deep south. But you have inspired me...
j-bird
Well-Known Member
I tried it once....I won't try it again.
Alfalfa in my opinion requires better soil and more work to grow well than any other plot plant you can grow! Even corn. Now....if you have the IDEAL situation for it....that is great....but if your going to skimp or cut corners on it....your going to be frustrated.
You need 6.5 pH or better well drained soil and full sun. It's difficult to get established, weed control can be a trick because it HATES competition and you can't overseed in more alfalfa either. It also requires trimming....either LOTS of deer or a mechanical means to clip and remove those clippings. It's also about as long lived in most cases as a typical clover plot.
Great way to make some money if you have a large enough area of it to clip/bail and sell....but specifically for deer.... there is a reason other seeds are marketed more aggressively for deer.
Alfalfa in my opinion requires better soil and more work to grow well than any other plot plant you can grow! Even corn. Now....if you have the IDEAL situation for it....that is great....but if your going to skimp or cut corners on it....your going to be frustrated.
You need 6.5 pH or better well drained soil and full sun. It's difficult to get established, weed control can be a trick because it HATES competition and you can't overseed in more alfalfa either. It also requires trimming....either LOTS of deer or a mechanical means to clip and remove those clippings. It's also about as long lived in most cases as a typical clover plot.
Great way to make some money if you have a large enough area of it to clip/bail and sell....but specifically for deer.... there is a reason other seeds are marketed more aggressively for deer.
dogghr
Well-Known Member
I have to disagree with much of that second paragraph J. It was easy to get going in both my tillage and T&M plots, planting same as one would a fall clover. It has stayed at its percentage of plot despite weeds and grasses which I seldom have sprayed but every few years and like clover, controll with mowing as needed. And yes despite what foodplot gurus say, it can be overseeded. Of course this is all in a mix planting. A monoculture would be different discussion. And if size of plot is determined with probable deer density browse then little if any mowing is required and even then if mowed high and allow BH to spread cuttings, I've not seen the issue.
I agree, it shouldn't be on top list except for those who need a planting in a typically dry hot spot and no need to run scared of a great deer attraction.
Besides, I like the purple and blue blooms.
Mountain deer love the alfalfa. #1 we have a problem keeping the deer off it, and we only have about 2 acres in total. Strictly in round-up ready alfalfa. #2 I would agree to the idea that it hates competition. That’s why round-up ready is the only way to go IMO. For us, clover is still king, but alfalfa adds a lot of draw and more diversity for our herd.
j-bird
Well-Known Member
I have no issue with disagreement... I am simply relaying my experience. My location, management, deer density and regional preferences and many different things can all impact the difference. If it was the same for everyone it would be a very boring world out there. My deer also do not favor brassica, and I can plant 1/4 acre unprotected plots of ag soybeans without ANY issue....so we are all a little "different".
blondy
New Member
KSbowhunter
New Member
I've planted 4 alfalfa plots here in seks. The first 3 were planted in the spring of 2011 to Alfa rack plus. I worked up the ground and put lime on with a ezflow. Not sure how much lime and I've never soil tested. Planted very early like last week of March. The two largest plots lasted great and have been a huge success. They got bailed up once a year and then I would do a final mowing about mid August with a bushhog. The smallest plot was a quarter acre and never got bailed only bush hogged. It only lasted a couple years. Planted a fall plot last year to alfalfa and had a great stand going into winter. Now this spring the stand is very thin. So spring seeding was a success for me but fall seeding has been a failure so far. I've always read fall seeding was better so not sure what happened
