Alfalfa

[Nontypcl1]

Just figured I'd post an update on my falcata alfalfa trial. I seeded approx 2olbs/acre last fall with oats as a nurse crop and so far this spring it's doing well. I've had to clip the weeds twice so far but the falcata seems to have taken hold and is doing a pretty good job competing against any weeds.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/stepcol/food%20plots/CIMG8283-1.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/stepcol/food%20plots/CIMG8284.jpg

I didn't soil test this area before planting but they are on the way now. It will be interesting to see what it reads.

sorry about the huge pics. didn't resize them:)

[dbltree]

Looks great! Thanks for sharing and keep us posted on growth, pros and cons and deer usage! :way:

[dbltree]

There are plenty of ways to establish alfalfa including no-tilling and any can be successful although I have found that preparing a good seedbed first usually works best.

I planted a couple acres of alfalfa for my friend Walt the other day and since it was part of an old pasture (converted to hayfield) with lot's of allelopathic chemicals present I elected to plow it first.

This field is hidden and the farmer that rents it never has time to make improvments so it's just very poor grass hay at best.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1210.jpg

Even at that because of a lack of other food sources deer already frequent this field so converting several acres to lush alfalfa and letting the farmer keep it mowed and baled is a no brainer!

I nuked the field with 2 quarts 41% glyphosate, AMS and 1 quart crop oil per acre in early April and put on 400#'s of pel lime at that time.

The field varies from deep loamy black soil to hard red clay that is like trying to plow up a parking lot!
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/Roughground.jpg

Eventually I finished the job however

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/Allplowed.jpg

We are fast approaching 18"'s of rain since late April here in SE IA, crops flooded out, replanted and perhaps flooded out again. In this hill country water runs off to some extent and what soaks in seeps down hill and in this case into the bottom of the furrows.

I had little choice but to go cross ways of the furrows with the tiller the first time which is a little like riding a mechanical bull a couple up from the low setting! :eek:

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1206.jpg

Once tilled over I spread another 300#'s of pel lime on the upper clay areas and I expect we will need more until we can get ag lime put on.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1233.jpg

Followed by 400#'s of 6-24-24 per acre, applied slightly heavier in the poor soil areas and slightly less on the rich black loam.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1234.jpg

When you spend you life working with soils and growing "stuff", eventually you come to understand soil husbandry and it become easier to read the productivity of soils...or lack of it and make changes accordingly.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1236.jpg

Once the lime and fertilizer was on I tilled them in, in a "kiter corner" fashion to further level the field...if you have every taken hay off from a poorly fitted field, you'll know why it is important to do a good job.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/Finishingup.jpg

I pulled a small cultipacker behind to prepare to seed by having an already firm soil surface.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1239.jpg

Following that I once again hooked up the spreader

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/Spreader.jpg

and broadcasted 2 bushel of Jerry oats per acre (32#'s per bushel)

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1242.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1243.jpg

I had not used this spreader before so that requires a little "by guess and by gosh" trial and error to deterine settings, especially before spreading expensive alfalfa seed!

I spread the less expensive pel lime first to determine settings for spreading the fertilizer and so used the same idea with the seed. We had left over red clover, berseem and crimson clovers so I mixed those up and spread those first along with a few pounds of alfalfa.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1246.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1245.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1244.jpg

This spreader has a great "mixer" that keeps seed and fertilizer well blended while being spread.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1248.jpg

Once I was sure of the setting and it is the very smallest setting in ANY broadcaster by the way, I spread 20#'s per acre of 1015 Supreme Brand Alfalfa seed.

1015 Alfalfa seed (http://www.welterseed.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=2)

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1247.jpg

By no means the best alfalfa but a reasonably priced alfalfa that would meet the needs in this situation. The fall dormancy and winter survival ratings were good and it also has high disease and pest resistance.

I spread this seed crossways of the intial pass to insure good coverage across the field because it is difficult to see the tiny seeds and be certain of coverage when broadcasting.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/CIMG1250.jpg

I then pulled the cultipacker alone over the seed to just press it into the top 1/8-1/4" of soil without burying it and...called it a day.

We'll keep an eye on growth progress this summer and usage by whitetails thru the winter.

Costs per acre were roughly as follows not including labor, fuel etc.


$5 per acre herbicide
$80 per acre alfalfa seed
$50 per acre pel lime
$128 per acre 6-24-24


Alfalfa is not for everyone but if you have a situation where a local farmer can mow and bale the hay, you have the opportunity to have you cake and eat it too by recieving cash rent, not having to clip the alfalfa yet having an awesome attractant lasting well into winter....;)

[Tickrancher]

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday (June 23, 2010) lifted a 2007 ban on Monsanto Co.'s Roundup Ready alfalfa that was supposed to protect conventional and organic growers from having their crops tainted by cross-pollination.
The court's 7-1 vote reversed a lower court ruling and makes it possible for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to approve planting of genetically engineered alfalfa seeds on an interim basis until a final decision is made next spring.

The complete article:
http://www.stltoday.com/business/article_15741dd8-3185-58d3-9420-6797974a8e66.html

[Baranx4]

I'm planning on a fall planting of Alfalfa how did your siberian do so far? I like the idea of planting it only once and having years of growth rather than reseeding it again in 4 years. Not really looking for yield but a self sustaining food plot.

[Nontypcl1]

I did a fall planting of falcata last year and it has done very well. However, recently I have noticed a bit of insect damage in some areas and possible disease problems but the vast majority still looks great. I'll have to give it a closer look when I'm at the farm tomorrow. Since its not an improved variety it will be interesting to see how it holds up to different pest pressure in the future.

The other interesting thing is that deer use has been pretty minimal thus far. That may be due to it being an area that has not traditionally been a food source. I'm sure by fall deer use will pick up though.

I'm sure dbltree will be able to elaborate a little further on how its doing on his farm.

[dbltree]

a bit of insect damage in some areas

I have noticed the same thing with my Falcata for the same reasons. Deer do feed on it but I think they graze more in my Alice white clover (the clover is far easier to maintain)

Any alfalfa requires constant clipping or else no clipping at all (in which case it gets rank) so it's much easier to maintain if you can bale it.

I would suggest not using much fertilizer because it will get so heavy that clippings will smother it unless you use a flail type mower...;)

[dbltree]

Our first cutting alfalfa fields finally got baled...right when second cutting should have een taken off!! Daily rains completely halted any chance of getting hay of until this past week which left fields looking like wheat fields rather then hay!!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_0001.jpg

The cool season grasses exploded during the 2 month "rainy" season and then literally went to seed!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_0031.jpg

Didn't bother the deer any and in fact they quite enjoyed feeding on the alfalfa while being hidden in the tall grasses but it sure lowers the quality of the hay!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_0032.jpg

After 1st cutting is off and summer heat takes over the grasses usually begin to go dormant but for those who desire pure clean alfalfa, that new grass re-growth is esily killed with 8 ounces of clethodim and one quart of crop oil per acre.

Here is an example of why alfalfa doesn't work so well in small plots that can't be baled, the hay gets so thick and tall that's difficult to keep ahead of it without causing smothering.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_0018.jpg

The Falcata is greening back up after being clipped although bugs hit it pretty hard

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_0019.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_0026.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_0022.jpg

I love alfalfa if it can be harvested for hay but otherwise it's pretty tough to manage and on both of my farms deer seem to eat both alfalfa and my Alice white clover pretty equally... ;)

[DH1]

Just put in an order with Wind River for some Falcata Alalfa seed. They're great people to work with, very helpful with working around some last minute problems that came up. I picked up a little Sainfoin too, for the smaller quantity I requested, they are very reasonable, plus they carry the innoculant that is specific to Sainfoin. I didn't want to experiment with 50lbs, but some of the blends out there that include it were a little pricey.

http://www.windriverseed.com/

http://www.plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/pubs/idpmcpg7792.pdf

[dbltree]

Just put in an order with Wind River for some Falcata Alalfa seed. They're great people to work with, very helpful with working around some last minute problems that came up. I picked up a little Sainfoin too, for the smaller quantity I requested, they are very reasonable, plus they carry the innoculant that is specific to Sainfoin. I didn't want to experiment with 50lbs, but some of the blends out there that include it were a little pricey.

http://www.windriverseed.com/

http://www.plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/pubs/idpmcpg7792.pdf

Keep us posted on how you like the Falcata...;)

[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....

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_0001-1.jpg

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

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_0012.jpg

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.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_0009.jpg

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....

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_0001-1.jpg

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

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_0012.jpg

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.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_0009.jpg

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!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5216.jpg

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!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5213.jpg

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

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5214.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5215.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5208.jpg

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

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5218.jpg

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!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5217.jpg

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.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5209.jpg

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

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5210.jpg

The alfalfa is 1015 From Welters... 1015 Supreme Brand Alfalfa (http://www.welterseed.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=2)

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5211.jpg

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 (http://www.welterseed.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=35)

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5212.jpg

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!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5216.jpg

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!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5213.jpg

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

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5214.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5215.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5208.jpg

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

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5218.jpg

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!

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5217.jpg

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.

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5209.jpg

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

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5210.jpg

The alfalfa is 1015 From Welters... 1015 Supreme Brand Alfalfa (http://www.welterseed.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=2)

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5211.jpg

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 (http://www.welterseed.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=35)

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e288/dbltree/Alfalfa/IMG_5212.jpg

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.

http://hphotos-sjc1.fbcdn.net/262551_10150292550644609_500039608_7292022_7147865 _n.jpg
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/228986_10150292551999609_500039608_7292041_7153119 _n.jpg
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/281661_10150292553349609_500039608_7292060_4471867 _n.jpg
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/184125_10150292554314609_500039608_7292065_6747816 _n.jpg

[dbltree]

Butyrac 200 (2-4DB) is probably the least expensive option although it may not kill all types of broadleaves and is less effective on larger weeds.

Butyrac 200 herbicide label (http://www.cdms.net/LDat/ld4JG002.pdf)

Should be available at your local co-op or they can order it for you.

In the future, start your alfalfa in late August with rye and oats and you won't have to worry about weeds ...;)

[LoessHillsArcher]

In the future, start your alfalfa in late August with rye and oats and you won't have to worry about weeds ...;)
Same with clover, best advice you'll get right there!

[jerred44]

I am looking at starting an alph alpha plot on my parents farm, We have 2 different clover plots now each being 1 acre a piece, and I plan on putting the alph alpha about 100-150 yards away from one of the clover plots. my question is should I just plant alph alpha or add some clover in or something else?

[Qdmaer]

I am looking at starting an alph alpha plot on my parents farm, We have 2 different clover plots now each being 1 acre a piece, and I plan on putting the alph alpha about 100-150 yards away from one of the clover plots. my question is should I just plant alph alpha or add some clover in or something else?


Alfalfa?:way:

[dbltree]

I am looking at starting an alph alpha plot on my parents farm, We have 2 different clover plots now each being 1 acre a piece, and I plan on putting the alph alpha about 100-150 yards away from one of the clover plots. my question is should I just plant alph alpha or add some clover in or something else?

Alfalfa is very difficult to manage unless you are going to harvest it for hay (bale it) so I don't recommend alfalfa for a food plot alone. I also encourage you to utilize one centralized feeding area rather then scattered small plots which is counter productive if your goal is harvesting mature bucks...;)