Alfalfa

[dbltree]

thought I'd mention that were finding on my dads farm by planting alfalfa back by the trees the damage done to the corn becomes almost non existent. The DNR came out to give some depredation tags and said a lot of farmers are figuring out the same thing.

That is kind of what I did by planting falcata alfalfa and red clover around one of my main food plots. They still killed the soybeans but my situation is a little unusal perhaps but they have hammered the falcata/red clover so heavily I haven't even had to mow it yet!

How long has it been taking to get the Falcatta seed from Wind River? Just wondering if I'd have time to get some in yet this year.

I don't think it took more then 4-5 days at the most after ordering mine? $40 minimum order if I recall correctly so I ordered 10#'s and ordered some alfalfa inoculate from Welters as well.

 

[SaskGuy]

OOH, that field screams "BUCK FOOD" to me!

 

[iowaqdm]

Dbltree,

What variety of alfalfa is in that picture you posted. Have you found any varieties that the deer seem to preferred. I am going to order some Monday from Welter. I have used grazer brand but was wanting to try another variety. Any recommendations?​

 

[dbltree]

Dbltree,

What variety of alfalfa is in that picture you posted. Have you found any varieties that the deer seem to preferred. I am going to order some Monday from Welter. I have used grazer brand but was wanting to try another variety. Any recommendations?​

So far I haven't found any varieties that deer don't like, just choose an alfalfa for your purpose. If for haying choose a high yielding, disease resistant alfalfa and if for deer only, choose one that will be lower growing and perhaps not so high yielding.

The alfalfa pictured is not from Welters but is a Dekalb variety and I don't recall the #??

 

[dbltree]

Our new alfalfa field was covered up with deer every day until it got mowed and baled the other day...

That stuff is going to be a magnet when the regrowth comes up over the next few weeks...let's see, that'll be what?? October 1st??

This link contains dozens of links to every imaginable subject to do with alfalfa...

Alfalfa links

 

[nannyslayer]

So far I haven't found any varieties that deer don't like, just choose an alfalfa for your purpose. If for haying choose a high yielding, disease resistant alfalfa and if for deer only, choose one that will be lower growing and perhaps not so high yielding.

The alfalfa pictured is not from Welters but is a Dekalb variety and I don't recall the #??

Probably dekalb DKA 137

 

[dgallow]

Do young falcata seedlings say under 3" tall have a reddish color to the stem? Just want to identify things correctly in our small test areas.

Oct was horribly wet for us....11" of rain vs 3-4" normally....first time I've seen statewide soil moisture indices above 0.9!

 

[dbltree]

Do young falcata seedlings say under 3" tall have a reddish color to the stem? Just want to identify things correctly in our small test areas.

Oct was horribly wet for us....11" of rain vs 3-4" normally....first time I've seen statewide soil moisture indices above 0.9!

Gosh I don't remember for sure...have to go back and see if I have any pics of the falcata that small?

This is conventional alfalfa...check page 8 for small falcata seedlings

 

[Baranx4]

Dbltree, are the deer still hitting your alfalfa pretty heavy? How is the falcata variety doing?

 

[dbltree]

Dbltree, are the deer still hitting your alfalfa pretty heavy? How is the falcata variety doing?

This field is right beside our driveway so I get to pretty much watch it on a daily basis and it's a miracle we havn't hit a deer in our own driveway yet!

They are in it day and night and the other night I pulled in the drive coming home from hunting and danged near hit a big buck that came charging out of the alfalfa.

Yeah...they are still in it and most likely will be most of the winter. That pic is conventional alfalfa that is put up for hay but they are hitting the falcata the same way...:way:

 

[Baranx4]

This field is right beside our driveway so I get to pretty much watch it on a daily basis and it's a miracle we havn't hit a deer in our own driveway yet!

They are in it day and night and the other night I pulled in the drive coming home from hunting and danged near hit a big buck that came charging out of the alfalfa.

Yeah...they are still in it and most likely will be most of the winter. That pic is conventional alfalfa that is put up for hay but they are hitting the falcata the same way...:way:

How heavy did you plant the falcata? I've seen that they recomend a very thin rate per acre. Is it seeding itself or is it autotoxic like other alfalfa?
I've seen that you have drilled alfalfa and also tilled and planted, how did it do tilling and cultipacking?

 

[dbltree]

How heavy did you plant the falcata? I've seen that they recomend a very thin rate per acre. Is it seeding itself or is it autotoxic like other alfalfa?
I've seen that you have drilled alfalfa and also tilled and planted, how did it do tilling and cultipacking?

The thin seeding rate is for rangeland out west, hear I used about 10-12#'s per acre and it is supposed to spread/reseed so in theory it would last forever.

The problem is that falcata is not improved alfalfa so no one knows if disease and pests will be it's undoing and only time will tell. So far I am not aware of any problems.

Alfalfa will do the same drilled or broadcast providing you use a cultipacker.

I till, cultipack, broadcast seed and re-cultipack to cover the seed and that is how the alfalfa in the picture was seeded......

 

[Baranx4]

Alfalfa will do the same drilled or broadcast providing you use a cultipacker.

I till, cultipack, broadcast seed and re-cultipack to cover the seed and that is how the alfalfa in the picture was seeded......

It's amazing what a difference a cultipacker will do. Being relatively new to this I haven't been cultipacking but will be building one this winter. It poured after one of my seedings this fall and you could see the difference in germination, coming up much thicker.


Have you had to cut the falcata alfalfa yet? The more I hear about it the more I become interested.

 

[hillrunner]

I hunted a stand between my standing corn plot and alfalfa last night. I honestly can't tell if the corn has been touched. Several deer walked right through the security of the corn to feed out in the open on the alfalfa. My opinion is that you simply can't beat alfalfa for year round drawing power.

 

[dbltree]

Have you had to cut the falcata alfalfa yet?

I clipped some pure falcata only because foxtail became a problem in it but the falcata that I added red clover to I did not clip. The red clover filled in where the falcata was thin and kept weed from coming up.

That appears to be a good combination while the falcata stand thickens up although it still wouldn't hurt to clip it once or twice a summer....

 

[Baranx4]

I clipped some pure falcata only because foxtail became a problem in it but the falcata that I added red clover to I did not clip. The red clover filled in where the falcata was thin and kept weed from coming up.

That appears to be a good combination while the falcata stand thickens up although it still wouldn't hurt to clip it once or twice a summer....

I think I'm going to give the falcata a try this spring, using the red clover. I like the idea of a biannual without worrying if it's going to spread and choke out the alfalfa.

 

[dangibbs1]

How is your Falcata looking now doubletree. I'm thinking of planting some this summer. I could plant falcata or "regular" alfalfa but would only be planting 5 acres so income wouldn't be much. Do you feel like the deer like the falcata well enough?

 

[dbltree]

How is your Falcata looking now doubletree. I'm thinking of planting some this summer. I could plant falcata or "regular" alfalfa but would only be planting 5 acres so income wouldn't be much. Do you feel like the deer like the falcata well enough?

They seem to love it just as much as conventional alfalfa and clovers planted in the same plot. If I were planting alfalfa as a cash crop I would sow the conventional but if it is solely to feed deer then the falcata is easier to manage.

 

[whitetail fanatic]

dbltree, in the brassica thread you wrote: "I use Alta-Swede Mammoth Red Clover because it is inexpensive and deer hammer the stuff! It's a one cut red clover so it doesn't need a lot of clipping all summer and will last 2-3 years although I plant it to plow down so 1-2 years is about all I let it stand for."

How would you compare the attractiveness of the Alta-Swede Mammoth Red clover to good alfalfa? Since it is only a "one cut" clover, does it grow back as much and provide as much forage during the months of September to December? Does it stand up to heavy grazing in the fall?

 

[Daver]

How would you compare the attractiveness of the Alta-Swede Mammoth Red clover to good alfalfa? Since it is only a "one cut" clover, does it grow back as much and provide as much forage during the months of September to December? Does it stand up to heavy grazing in the fall?

I can't think of any clover that would beat any alfalfa for "standability" at this time of the year.