Alfalfa

[OHIOshedder]

I have (had) a pretty decent alfalfa stand the past 2 years. This year through a combination of wet spring, bad timing on my part, and now hot, dry summer, I was not able to spray this year and the broadleaves were really taking over. There was still alot of alfalfa, but it was getting a bit sparse. Just went to check on it and found that my dad had scalped the field with the bush hog leaving a lot of bare soil and cutting way too low for the predicted 90 degree temps with no rain in the forecast. I"m pretty sure this field is toast. Its ok because I was going to lime and re-do the field next year anyway. I want to get this field back into alfalfa as soon as posible. I can till under now and plant a fall plot of something else and follow with a spring plot of something else, but I think some alfalfa will survive and I'd kinda like to be able to hunt over the little alfalfa that will remain this fall.

My plan is to overseed with rye this fall so that I can hunt over combo rye/alfalfa then till under in the spring. Not sure what I'd plant in the spring, possibly red clover and/or chickory when I do my big lime application. I then would like to re-plant next fall with alfalfa using rye as a cover crop. The rye could then be sprayed/mowed the following spring leaving me with a new stand of alfalfa. Any thoughts/improvements on this scenario? Should I wait longer before re-planing in alfalfa and if so, would I be better to till under now and plan something different this fall?

Thanks.

 

[dbltree]

You can't follow alfalfa with alfalfa without giving it a break so you would be better off tilling it under now and planting rye and red clover and then turning that under next fall for a new alfalfa seeding...

 

[OHIOshedder]

Is 12 months the minimum you would wait after tilling it under to re-plant in alfalfa?

 

[dbltree]

Is 12 months the minimum you would wait after tilling it under to re-plant in alfalfa?

That is considered the safest time frame... yes...

 

[dbltree]

Some of you with alfalfa stands may be seeing scenes like this as fall arrives....

The lush alfalfa re-growth after the last cutting for the year is extremely attractive to whitetails this time of year

For those who can rent their alfalfa ground out to an area farmer, alfalfa can be a win win, no headaches and no hassle food source because someone else will do all the mowing, spraying etc.

While I am elated to have been fortunate enough to enroll my farm in the CRP program for the next 15 years...I am a little sad that I have to kill this beautiful stand of alfalfa soon to establish NWSG.

Alfalfa is difficult to mange for small plotters and white clover for them is usually a better option but a good stand of alfalfa can easily produce 3 or more tons of high quality hay that is also valuable and very marketable so in some cases it can be a way to have your cake...and eat it too.... :way:

 

[Qdmaer]

Some of you with alfalfa stands may be seeing scenes like this as fall arrives....

The lush alfalfa re-growth after the last cutting for the year is extremely attractive to whitetails this time of year

For those who can rent their alfalfa ground out to an area farmer, alfalfa can be a win win, no headaches and no hassle food source because someone else will do all the mowing, spraying etc.

While I am elated to have been fortunate enough to enroll my farm in the CRP program for the next 15 years...I am a little sad that I have to kill this beautiful stand of alfalfa soon to establish NWSG.

Alfalfa is difficult to mange for small plotters and white clover for them is usually a better option but a good stand of alfalfa can easily produce 3 or more tons of high quality hay that is also valuable and very marketable so in some cases it can be a way to have your cake...and eat it too.... :way:

Can i frostseed alfalfa into winter wheat and have good success? The farmer is taking the wheat off this year but i wanna seed into it around april with alfalfa and clover combo. Thanks

 

[dbltree]

Can i frostseed alfalfa into winter wheat and have good success? The farmer is taking the wheat off this year but i wanna seed into it around april with alfalfa and clover combo. Thanks

They don't recommend frost seeding alfalfa, it's not impossible but results are often poor. Red clover can be readily frost seeded and you may find you will be successful with alfalfa as well, I can only relay the probabilities of a so-so result.

If you try it, let us know how it works out??

 

[Sligh1]

Ok- so I've seeded lots of alfalfa fields with either a DRILL or a disk, cultipacker, seeder, etc. Both have had some good results (except for last year with way too wet of conditions.
Now, I hear these folks "MIXING ALFALFA WITH EITHER LIME AND/OR FERTILIZER AND SPREADING ALL AT ONCE". When folks are saying that, are they talking about spreading this on a prepared seedbed and then cultipacking over it after it's all spread? I mean- they are not just spreading this on a bean stubble field OR doing frost seeding or whatever when they are doing this, right?

 

[dbltree]

Ok- so I've seeded lots of alfalfa fields with either a DRILL or a disk, cultipacker, seeder, etc. Both have had some good results (except for last year with way too wet of conditions.
Now, I hear these folks "MIXING ALFALFA WITH EITHER LIME AND/OR FERTILIZER AND SPREADING ALL AT ONCE". When folks are saying that, are they talking about spreading this on a prepared seedbed and then cultipacking over it after it's all spread? I mean- they are not just spreading this on a bean stubble field OR doing frost seeding or whatever when they are doing this, right?

I think they mean they just mix the fertilize and seed together and spread both and then cultipack to cover Skip. You can take the seed to you co-op and they'll mix it with the fertilizer so you can spread both with a fertilizer cart on tilled soil then cover as usual with the cultipacker....:way:

 

[dbltree]

June 17th, 2011

Last spring I attempted to establish some alfalfa for another landowner but thanks to record rainfall I was delayed until late May in even getting it planted. Once in the ground however the rainfall continued unabated and eventually drowned not only the alfalfa and clover seedlings but even the oats as well. We put an incredible amount of money into fertilizer, lime, seed, fuel and eventually herbicide since weeds apparently do not drown!

I admitted defeat by summers end but as the rains began to give way to sunshine by late August I suggested that we try a fall seeding in at least a portion to see if we could yet come up with a successful seeding. I sowed alfalfa and red clover seed along with my usual fall cereal grain combo of winter rye/oats/peas and radish and hoped for the best.

This spring, the farmer who rents the hay ground volunteered to re-plant the area I seeded last spring and repeated the process only to have the exact same thing happen all over again!

Here's a view of his spring oat/alfalfa planting on the left and my rye/alfalfa/red clover stand on the right...what a difference!

The failed planting is not the farmers fault, it just failed do to water logged soils just as mine had the previous year. Here you can see water laying...a common site in SE Iowa the past few years!

Looking downward through what should be waist high oats and healthy lush alfalfa....we see only stunted pale plants

The alfalfa and clover seedlings are sick and dying in the waterlogged soils

The fall planting however is outstanding! Lush and thick, the mature established plants have sent roots down deeper into the subsoil and are thriving in the cool wet weather!

The farmer will eventually bale this field but until then the rye will remain standing and is causing no harm at all in the meantime and in fact provides cover for deer who feel safe feeding there, hidden by the standing rye.

Deer are wading literally knee deep in the lush stand o alfalfa and red clover and grazing is evident everywhere!

The alfalfa is 1015 From Welters... 1015 Supreme Brand Alfalfa

The red clover is Persist and it appears from what I could tell that they are focusing on the red clover right now more then the alfalfa, however in the fall the opposite will usually be true.

Persist Brand Red Clover

The moral of this story is that in most cases the odds of a successful alfalfa or clover seeding are much high in the fall then in the spring. No wet weather, no weeds or herbicides...no headaches! The rye and oats keep deer fed and the rye helps control weeds the following spring.

Unless you plan on haying the field or plot, I do not recommend alfalfa and aggressive red clovers like Persist, choose white clovers and one cut red clovers like Alta-Swede for small plots solely for deer. Alfalfa and red clover can provide an income however if haying is an option and keep deer coming back for more to boot.... :way:

 

[dbltree]

June 17th, 2011

Last spring I attempted to establish some alfalfa for another landowner but thanks to record rainfall I was delayed until late May in even getting it planted. Once in the ground however the rainfall continued unabated and eventually drowned not only the alfalfa and clover seedlings but even the oats as well. We put an incredible amount of money into fertilizer, lime, seed, fuel and eventually herbicide since weeds apparently do not drown!

I admitted defeat by summers end but as the rains began to give way to sunshine by late August I suggested that we try a fall seeding in at least a portion to see if we could yet come up with a successful seeding. I sowed alfalfa and red clover seed along with my usual fall cereal grain combo of winter rye/oats/peas and radish and hoped for the best.

This spring, the farmer who rents the hay ground volunteered to re-plant the area I seeded last spring and repeated the process only to have the exact same thing happen all over again!

Here's a view of his spring oat/alfalfa planting on the left and my rye/alfalfa/red clover stand on the right...what a difference!

The failed planting is not the farmers fault, it just failed do to water logged soils just as mine had the previous year. Here you can see water laying...a common site in SE Iowa the past few years!

Looking downward through what should be waist high oats and healthy lush alfalfa....we see only stunted pale plants

The alfalfa and clover seedlings are sick and dying in the waterlogged soils

The fall planting however is outstanding! Lush and thick, the mature established plants have sent roots down deeper into the subsoil and are thriving in the cool wet weather!

The farmer will eventually bale this field but until then the rye will remain standing and is causing no harm at all in the meantime and in fact provides cover for deer who feel safe feeding there, hidden by the standing rye.

Deer are wading literally knee deep in the lush stand o alfalfa and red clover and grazing is evident everywhere!

The alfalfa is 1015 From Welters... 1015 Supreme Brand Alfalfa

The red clover is Persist and it appears from what I could tell that they are focusing on the red clover right now more then the alfalfa, however in the fall the opposite will usually be true.

Persist Brand Red Clover

The moral of this story is that in most cases the odds of a successful alfalfa or clover seeding are much high in the fall then in the spring. No wet weather, no weeds or herbicides...no headaches! The rye and oats keep deer fed and the rye helps control weeds the following spring.

Unless you plan on haying the field or plot, I do not recommend alfalfa and aggressive red clovers like Persist, choose white clovers and one cut red clovers like Alta-Swede for small plots solely for deer. Alfalfa and red clover can provide an income however if haying is an option and keep deer coming back for more to boot.... :way:

 

[bauer5152]

Hi guys, Im a newbie. Nice to join this forum.

 

[dbltree]

Hi guys, Im a newbie. Nice to join this forum.

Welcome to IW! If you have questions please don't be afraid to ask us! :way:

 

[thwack13]

I have about a 2 acre clover foodplot by my house. I just sprayed and disc about 3/4 of an acre of it to add a little variety. What do you think would be best for a fall/winter food source? I was thinking about putting in alfalfa and maybe some winter wheat and the alfalfa would be back next spring. I have put out turnips/brassicas in the past and the deer have not seemed to like them. Thanks for any input

 

[dbltree]

I have about a 2 acre clover foodplot by my house. I just sprayed and disc about 3/4 of an acre of it to add a little variety. What do you think would be best for a fall/winter food source? I was thinking about putting in alfalfa and maybe some winter wheat and the alfalfa would be back next spring. I have put out turnips/brassicas in the past and the deer have not seemed to like them. Thanks for any input

Alfalfa is great if you can get someone to bale it but pretty tough to manage otherwise...it will get knee high and thick as hair on a dogs back and then what? You can't mow it or you'll smother everything and you can't leave it or it will get rank and unpalatable.

If you can get someone to bale it for you...fall is a great time to establish it...:way:

 

[thwack13]

Thanks for the info. So you're saying that if I brush hog it a few times a summer it will smother itself out? I doubt I could get someone to bale such a small area so I think I will look at other options. Any ideas? I don't mind putting in something just for this fall/winter bc I have thought about putting in some beans and corn in the plot next spring. Thanks

 

[dbltree]

Thanks for the info. So you're saying that if I brush hog it a few times a summer it will smother itself out? I doubt I could get someone to bale such a small area so I think I will look at other options. Any ideas? I don't mind putting in something just for this fall/winter bc I have thought about putting in some beans and corn in the plot next spring. Thanks

Yes...if you mow it, your going to smother it out eventually.

I encourage people with smaller plots to use a 3 way clover/brassica/cereal grain mix...variety and diversity all in the same plot.

Not a mix of everything but subdividing your plot into 20% white clover, 40% brassicas and 40% a fall cereal mix of which I use winter rye/oats/peas/radish and red clover.

Each year rotate the rye and brassicas...works like a charm! Check the brassica and cereal grain threads for more details (better to start from the end then the beginning of each thread)

 

[Qdmaer]

Paul, last week i drilled in some alfalfa at 20lbs per acre. The field was just wheat harvested and i sprayed RU about 3 weeks after harvest to plant the alfalfa. Should i have concerns if some wheat still grows with the alfalfa the rest of the year. So far so good the rain we have had in michigan really has the seeds popping. Just curious on how the volunteer wheat seed can play a role. Thanks

 

[dbltree]

Paul, last week i drilled in some alfalfa at 20lbs per acre. The field was just wheat harvested and i sprayed RU about 3 weeks after harvest to plant the alfalfa. Should i have concerns if some wheat still grows with the alfalfa the rest of the year. So far so good the rain we have had in michigan really has the seeds popping. Just curious on how the volunteer wheat seed can play a role. Thanks

It's usually not a problem so you should end up with a great stand! If wheat does come up and presents a problem just hit it with clethodim and you'll be good to go! :way:

 

[AIRASSAULT]

Ok... So I've got a few 'minor' problems in my backyard alfalfa plot. This thing has been kind of a nightmare. I planted this spring and when the grasses started coming in when the alfalfa was only a half inch high or so, I sprayed it with Select and it killed everything .. So, had to till and re-plant. Alfalfa came in good, BUT, then the broadleaves started taking over.. I've tried mowing it and it seemed to make the broadleaves worse, especially the 'smartweed' or whatever my dad calls it.
Believe it or not, there's some alfalfa under all this. I just sprayed it tonight with Select Maxx and plan on trying to mow it in a week or so again. Is there anything I can spray on it that will take care of all of these broadleaves and not kill the alfalfa?
Also, anyone know the names of all these weeds? Some areas of the plot have some clean alfalfa. I just took pics of the worst spots.