Help on planting Alfalfa
- Thread starter Mullins62
- Start date
If you don't have access to a grain drill then what you are planning is ideal.
Only thing I would add is that you might pack twice after seeding, and if possible do so with wet soil.
Good luck!
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P.S. Read and bookmark this. Everything you ever need to know about growing alfalfa:
https://www.agronomy.org/files/publications/alfalfa-management-guide.pdf
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FarmerD
Active Member
A great stand of perennial clover is easy to grow and maintain. A great stand of alfalfa is far more finicky.
If your soil ph isn't around 7, it can be difficult. If your deer density is not high enough to keep 2 acres clipped down like JFH's, you'll be headed for trouble, unless you can clip it and remove it (bale). You can't over seed it with more alfalfa, to thicken it and you can't raise another alfalfa crop in the same spot for a few years. Deer love it, but if can be expensive to grow.
Just a thought, but maybe try 1/2 acre of those 2 acres, to start with, since you can always add more. Add in another 1/2 acre of perennial clover and a 1/2 acre of brassicas and a 1/2 acre of cereal grains.
But if you have extremely high deer densities, lots of overall acreage and no other agriculture in the area, you could be successful.
If your soil ph isn't around 7, it can be difficult. If your deer density is not high enough to keep 2 acres clipped down like JFH's, you'll be headed for trouble, unless you can clip it and remove it (bale). You can't over seed it with more alfalfa, to thicken it and you can't raise another alfalfa crop in the same spot for a few years. Deer love it, but if can be expensive to grow.
Just a thought, but maybe try 1/2 acre of those 2 acres, to start with, since you can always add more. Add in another 1/2 acre of perennial clover and a 1/2 acre of brassicas and a 1/2 acre of cereal grains.
But if you have extremely high deer densities, lots of overall acreage and no other agriculture in the area, you could be successful.
j-bird
Well-Known Member
I agree with FarmerD on the issue you could run into with alfalfa, however if your going that route the method you mentioned for planting is fine.
Just do your homework on what it takes for the alfalfa to do well (soil pH, soil drainage, sun exposure and the like) and understand what you may have to do to manage it properly (clipping and bailing). In some cases it's a great fit, while in others......not so much.
Just do your homework on what it takes for the alfalfa to do well (soil pH, soil drainage, sun exposure and the like) and understand what you may have to do to manage it properly (clipping and bailing). In some cases it's a great fit, while in others......not so much.
You should get a good kill of weeds in your seed bed and given the choice I wouldn't have worked mine up or worked it up and then killed weeds and broadcasted and then drug to slightly cover.What alot of farmers used to do was pull the tubes out of their drill and lightly let coulters ride in dirt
bigbluetruck
Active Member
That sounds like a good plan, I would sow a nurse crop of oats or possibly wheat in with it. If youre using a spreader, spread it before youre first cultipacking, then spread the alfalfa seed and cultipack again.
The rules of thumb that I learned from my grandpa are, #1, before you seed the alfalfa the ground needs to be firm enough to not leave an impression when you walk on it, #2, Alfalfa is best seeded in months that start with A, and #3, if you have thin areas, you can seed some more in as long as its within a year of the first seeding. Which is why I prefer a spring seeding, but we are getting ready to sow a couple fields here next week.
The rules of thumb that I learned from my grandpa are, #1, before you seed the alfalfa the ground needs to be firm enough to not leave an impression when you walk on it, #2, Alfalfa is best seeded in months that start with A, and #3, if you have thin areas, you can seed some more in as long as its within a year of the first seeding. Which is why I prefer a spring seeding, but we are getting ready to sow a couple fields here next week.
SO are you saying disc then plant without cultipacking first? Or disc cultipack, broadcast seed at 20 lbs per acre then cultipack ? My ground in Ohio is pretty fine and soft after disc!!! I'm afraid to get seed to deep Also at what step should i apply fertilizer/ Thanks
bigbluetruck
Active Member
1bu (32lbs IIRC) to the acre of oats is fine, and yes sow the oats then pack, sow alfalfa, then pack again
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If you are planting a grain too (good idea if not using RR alfalfa), seed the grain after disking and before first cultipack.
Fertilize first, before disking.
The "pack - seed - pack" method will keep you from planting the alfalfa too deep.
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P.S. What's your soil ph? If lower than 6.0 I would not try alfalfa yet. Lime per soil test recommendations now and then try it in the spring.
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dogghr
Well-Known Member
If not baling for feed or sale, I would add Chicory and clover to mix. PLant with a grain as said and I did early Sept.. Thot mine was done after 5 years but was down this weekend and the deer had backed off it and it looked like a new plot. Shouldve taken a pic, I will this weekend. If you need Boron in your soil for alfalfa as I do, then buy Borax at Dollar General and put box in with your fert when you spread. I do 4# box /half ac. You can also buy fert that is 10-20--20-.5 with the boron in it since you are just starting plot. I don't like adding N after establishment so from there on I just add 0-20-20 and Borax. I planted brassica this weekend and am loving this rain. Good luck.
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dogghr
Well-Known Member
Awesome. What seed did you use? Any fert? How did you do the planting? Rains? Great job.
