I'm sure someone here can give me a few suggestions. I want to plant alfalfa this year but have heard it is slow to fill in the first year. Is there something I can overseed with to "fill the gaps" in the meantime? Rye? WW? I'm thinking seeding with something else would be good for keeping those pesky weeds at bay too. Thanks guys!
dbltree
Super Moderator
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I'm sure someone here can give me a few suggestions. I want to plant alfalfa this year but have heard it is slow to fill in the first year. Is there something I can overseed with to "fill the gaps" in the meantime? Rye? WW? I'm thinking seeding with something else would be good for keeping those pesky weeds at bay too. Thanks guys!
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Oats is the most common, although alfalfa is faster to establish then clover.
Oats can be used either for spring seedings or late summer seedings to act as a nurse crop.
It will help hold weeds at bay and provide some forage. Planted in spring it will soon get tall and rank and you would need to clip it before it gets too heavy...or spray it with Poast or Select.
In a late summer seeding...it works perfectly as a fall food plot and a heavy frost will kill it leaving a nice mulch behind for your new alfalfa seedlings.
I'm sure someone here can give me a few suggestions. I want to plant alfalfa this year but have heard it is slow to fill in the first year. Is there something I can overseed with to "fill the gaps" in the meantime? Rye? WW? I'm thinking seeding with something else would be good for keeping those pesky weeds at bay too. Thanks guys!
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Oats is the most common, although alfalfa is faster to establish then clover.
Oats can be used either for spring seedings or late summer seedings to act as a nurse crop.
It will help hold weeds at bay and provide some forage. Planted in spring it will soon get tall and rank and you would need to clip it before it gets too heavy...or spray it with Poast or Select.
In a late summer seeding...it works perfectly as a fall food plot and a heavy frost will kill it leaving a nice mulch behind for your new alfalfa seedlings.
thanks dbltree. I'm looking for a plot to hunt over in the fall. I plan on planting around august 1st for alfalfa - is that timeframe ok? Should I wait a little longer to seed? Do oats seem to attract deer during late October/early November?
I guess I'm looking at alfalfa as a 3-5 year crop that will draw deer but also am looking for something else that will work during that time frame. Thanks
I guess I'm looking at alfalfa as a 3-5 year crop that will draw deer but also am looking for something else that will work during that time frame. Thanks
dbltree
Super Moderator
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thanks dbltree. I'm looking for a plot to hunt over in the fall. I plan on planting around august 1st for alfalfa - is that timeframe ok? Should I wait a little longer to seed? Do oats seem to attract deer during late October/early November?
I guess I'm looking at alfalfa as a 3-5 year crop that will draw deer but also am looking for something else that will work during that time frame. Thanks
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First of August will be perfect for alfalfa but the oats may get a little taller by fall then one would really prefer....again that's perfect for establishing alfalfa but perhaps may not last as long in the fall as you might want.
Oats are impossible for deer to pass up when they are young and green...the only drawback is that a killing frost does them in while rye or wheat stays green.
We planted our alfalfa in the spring with oats, baled the oats and new seedling alfalfa and had a great fall draw...and they've not left it alone since!
thanks dbltree. I'm looking for a plot to hunt over in the fall. I plan on planting around august 1st for alfalfa - is that timeframe ok? Should I wait a little longer to seed? Do oats seem to attract deer during late October/early November?
I guess I'm looking at alfalfa as a 3-5 year crop that will draw deer but also am looking for something else that will work during that time frame. Thanks
[/ QUOTE ]
First of August will be perfect for alfalfa but the oats may get a little taller by fall then one would really prefer....again that's perfect for establishing alfalfa but perhaps may not last as long in the fall as you might want.
Oats are impossible for deer to pass up when they are young and green...the only drawback is that a killing frost does them in while rye or wheat stays green.
We planted our alfalfa in the spring with oats, baled the oats and new seedling alfalfa and had a great fall draw...and they've not left it alone since!
Very nice looking plots. Here's a question that I hope doesn't require you to spend too much time answering....I plan on brush hogging this weekend. I think I read somewhere here a spraying/tilling/spraying schedule in order to get your plot ready for a fall planting.
It seems in the past when I brush hog then spray, the product is not good. Did I spray too soon? Should I brush hog, wait a couple weeks for the weeds to start growing again and then spray? After that do I till up the plot, wait for the new weed seed to emerge then spray again? Again, sorry for the rookie questions, I just want to get it right this time.
It seems in the past when I brush hog then spray, the product is not good. Did I spray too soon? Should I brush hog, wait a couple weeks for the weeds to start growing again and then spray? After that do I till up the plot, wait for the new weed seed to emerge then spray again? Again, sorry for the rookie questions, I just want to get it right this time.
Daver
PMA Member
I would wait a week or so and let things "green up" a bit after the brush hogging and then spray it. Roundup works best on growing plants, so it is good to get it on after a little green up. Since you have plenty of time between and planting a fall plot you could kill it now and kill it again in early July. You should have a pretty good seedbed after a double dose like that.
If what you brush hogged was more woody plants than grassy, then you may want to use 2-4D instead of or in addition to the Roundup. Use Roundup for most grasses and 2-4D for woody vegetation.
I have noticed that different weeds will grow at different points in the season, so a double or triple kill should be the most effective of all.
If what you brush hogged was more woody plants than grassy, then you may want to use 2-4D instead of or in addition to the Roundup. Use Roundup for most grasses and 2-4D for woody vegetation.
I have noticed that different weeds will grow at different points in the season, so a double or triple kill should be the most effective of all.
dbltree
Super Moderator
Daver pretty much hit the nail on the head...it sounds like your spraying to soon after mowing.
Always let it start to re-grow before spraying...hit it when it's putting on new growth and then go back and hit the spots you missed and you'll be a lot more satisfied with the results.
Always let it start to re-grow before spraying...hit it when it's putting on new growth and then go back and hit the spots you missed and you'll be a lot more satisfied with the results.
