How many pounds per acre do you plant alfalfa?
Seeding rates should be between 12 and 15 pounds per acre. Prescribed seeding rates are designed to provide several times the seed needed to achieve optimal yield under ideal growing conditions. Seeding rates above 15 pounds per acre have no positive impact on yield (Table 3).
How do you prepare a field to plant hay?
For hay, mow the field with a rotary mower to remove problem plants by cutting them before they set viable seed. Till to control tenacious, perennial weeds, such as bedstraw, and then seed. The best time to seed is in May or in the first three weeks of August, when seed will survive and compete with weeds better.
How long does it take for alfalfa to establish?
Managing Seeding Year Alfalfa With seeding-year alfalfa, stems are spindly, roots are small and shorter, and growth is a little slower. You can harvest seeding-year alfalfa as early as 40 days after seedlings emerge. It takes plants about 40 days to become able to regrow from the crown after cutting.
Can you plant alfalfa with a grain drill?
Grain drills, equipped with small-seed attachments, can accurately meter alfalfa seed. However, it is difficult to place the seed at the proper depth. When using a grain drill, it is a common practice to disconnect the drop tubes from the shanks to allow the seeds to fall onto the soil surface.
What is the best fertilizer for hay field?
Although P, K and lime can be added anytime, nitrogen fertilizer should be applied when pastures or hayfields will have the best opportunity to have a yield response. Usually a majority of the nitrogen applied as a part of commercial fertilizer is gone in 60 days.
Can deer eat alfalfa hay?
Deer eat alfalfa, and the damage they cause might reduce yields significantly. In truth, alfalfa has been used as a forage for deer, especially during the summer months. It is a highly digestible fiber and contains a tremendous amount of fiber, making them palatable for deer.
Is alfalfa hay a good cash crop?
is way to harvest alfalfa because it stores well, provides long fiber in rations and we can market the surplus as a cash crop. Higher yields and higher quality mean more profit so we push to be sure we use the best management practices. All too often though, we Jose part of all of a crop to rain damage.
What growing conditions are best for alfalfa?
Planting methods for successful alfalfa establishment Site selection. Alfalfa does well on well-drained soil rather than wet, heavy clay soils and requires good soil pH ranging from 6.5 to 7.0. Seeding rate. For pure alfalfa stands, 18 to 20 pounds per acre should be planted. Weed control. Conventional planting. No-till planting.
When should alfalfa be planted?
Alfalfa can be planted in both the fall and spring, but fall plantings have been much more successful in stand establishment and first year production yields. For S.E. Oklahoma, planting should take place from late Aug. through September.
Does alfalfa require annual planting?
Fields may be difficult to enter into due to wet soils, but alfalfa may be planted as soon as danger of spring frost has passed. Summer weed competition can be alleviated by planting with an annual companion crop such as oats. Alfalfa, during growth, is not tolerant of a high water table that could drown it out.