Alfalfa Planting Methods That Work!

More mistakes are made that affect alfalfa stand quality, yields and persistence prior to and during seeding than at any other short period of time that an alfalfa field is in production. Producers need to remember that this piece of land is going to be committed to alfalfa production for usually four or more years and if mistakes at seeding are made, the crops that follow will never be as productive and profitable as they could have been. So take your time, study your lessons and think though every move before putting the seed in the ground.

Select soil that is well drained internally and use current soil tests and treat according to pH and fertilizer needs, time your planting so that new growth has an excellent chance to establish well ahead of historically inclement weather. Pick varieties that fit your program needs. Check our website for those best suited for your area and use as hay, silage or pastures or maybe all three.

Let’s take a look at some seeding methods that work well wherever this crop is grown. Some of these seeding methods may be new to you but are being used by more farmers each year. This lecture is going to be more detailed and longer than most of the rest of the normal lesson formats. If you need more details, go to our website and ask me for it.

Planting in a Prepared Seedbed
The numbers of farmers who plow and prepare a ‘garden-like’ seedbed for alfalfa are fading in recent years. Why? There are so many other systems that work as well or better especially on land that will likely erode without a green cover crop or crop residue. But if the clean-garden-like seedbed lays on level ground and this is what you want to work with, here is the formula that I have used successfully for 50 + years.

1. If you are seeding in late summer, plow in the early summer and disk as needed to control weeds. Firm the soil with some sort of packing or pressing field tool such as a cultipacker after each disking (to hold as much moisture as possible). A ‘tooth’ harrow will not be as effective as a smooth/solid bed but it can help.

2. Make the seedings at least six weeks ahead of the first killing frost based on weather records. Seeding rates vary from region to region. The normal seeding rate in most of the humid regions is 15-18 pounds per acre. Irrigated areas are about the same. In the non-irrigated west and northern plains, the rates are usually half the above amounts. In the deep southern states, seeding rates are usually increased to 25-30 pounds. If you are unsure of the amount to use, check with your county agent or your seed dealer or a successful alfalfa producer that you know real well. Caution: on most soils keep the seed depth to ¼ to ½ inch and ¾ inch on sandy soils.

Conventional Spring Plantings Following Corn or Beans

Well over 50% of the alfalfa plantings in the humid dairy/beef belt are planted following corn for grain or silage. Nearly all of these fields lay idle during the winter months. In some instances, farmers cut or disk the residue stalks soon after the crop is harvested. This helps to level the ground so that in the early spring, the ground is easier to prepare for seeding. All of these procedures help to place the seed at the right depth and provide a more uniform stand from the beginning. Now, let’s see some of the mistakes that are often made and how you can prevent them.

1. Nearly all farmers use herbicides in row crop production. Some of these chemicals stay active in the soil longer than others and can have a devastating effect on new alfalfa seedlings. Check the herbicide labels on the chemicals and rates you have used to see what steps are necessary to dilute pesticide carry-over influence in your soil. You may find that you should wait a year or more to plant on a particular area due to the carryover effect potentials.

2. Nurse crop or no nurse crop is a question that has been argued for years. If the land is steep and you fear erosion, some small grain cover will surely help. But keep the small grain seeding rate low (a bushel or less per acre). Remember your main objective is to get a thrifty stand of alfalfa that will produce fantastic yields of high quality hay, silage, or grazing for several years. The small grain ‘nurse crop’ will compete for light and water and very often if allowed to go to grain, can reduce initial thus continuing stands.

3. One of the biggest problems with seeding after row crops is seed distribution and depth. You still need a firm seedbed. Take your time seeding and slow the tractor speed. If all goes well, you should be ready for the first hay or silage cut in about 9-10 weeks most years.

4. Following soybeans is tricky. The soil is usually soft (some farmers refer to it as ‘puffy’). Even though the crop residue is much less than following corn, the soil is usually hard to firm (pack) due to the root structure and the ‘aftermath’ conditions of the soil following this crop. Therefore, it is difficult to place the seed at the proper depth.

Let’s Look at No-Till in Four Systems

You can return to the web page and get the entire story on no-till alfalfa seeding methods. But here, I am going to deal only with those features that should help you as you plan to go to the field. You will note that the herbicides Gramaxone and Roundup appear in all of the following recommendations. When you use Gramaxone, always include surfactant to improve the chemical’s effectiveness. The water rate for best application and growth control is 20+ gallons per acre for both herbicides.

When seeding alfalfa following corn whether the crop is harvested as silage or grain, you should seed a small grain for winter cover when possible. If trizine herbicides (atrizine, simazine or their replacements) were used on the row crop, their residual effects can injure legumes planted the following spring. So, in the planning process for no-till seeding alfalfa is sure to follow labeled recommendations for best results at the time the corn is planted. The following spring, apply 1-2 pints of Gramaxone per acre on the small grain when it is 4-6 inches tall. Then no-till drill 15-20 pounds of alfalfa seed immediately. Should small grain re-growth occur (5-6 inches tall) mow just above the alfalfa or graze to help prevent smothering and continued competition to the newly planted alfalfa?

Seeding alfalfa no-till following soybeans is about the same procedure. But since beans normally mature later than corn grain, there are fewer small grain selections and winter wheat and rye are your best bets behind beans

Seeding alfalfa following small grains has lots of options and is fast becoming a great way to get an alfalfa stand quickly and more economically with less soil erosion potential. Here are three possibilities:

1. Alfalfa can be seeded without tillage into an 8-10 inch (tall) small grain crop prior to silage harvest. If rye is the small grain, it will likely re-grow after it is harvested as silage in the ideal (boot stage). When this occurs, the rye should be mowed or chemically controlled with Poast or Poast Plus (or similar recommended herbicides) at 4-6 inches of growth. If winter wheat or winter barley is used and harvested as silage in the dough stage, regrowth is very seldom a problem. However should regrowth occur, the herbicides will control it.

2. When small grain silage is made ahead of the boot stage, wait about 5-10 days for re-growth and apply one pint of Gramaxone per acre just prior to seeding the alfalfa.

3. When the small grain is harvested as grain (in the summer), fall seeding alfalfa is best. Just before seeding and at least six weeks before the historic freeze date, apply 1-2 pints of Gramaxone to control weeds when soil moisture conditions are favorable. Volunteer small grain should be mowed or controlled with the above herbicides after seeding if it reaches 5-7 inches in height and threatens to smother the alfalfa seedlings.

Seeding Alfalfa No-Till Into Cool Season Grass Sods is not a quick or easy fix operation. Years of research and on farm experience prove that no-till can be as reliable as conventional seeding while saving farmers time and money in the process. Farmers who follow a precise system that combines selecting quality varieties with tried and proven herbicides, seeding equipment, seed placement accuracy, and scouting can make this practice work for them. It is a little trickier than no-till seeding following row and small grain crops. But when you pay attention to what you are doing and are willing to follow the rules, you can and will be sure to be surprised at the great results.

Remember, you are dealing with alfalfa so it is necessary to take care of the lime and fertilizer needs. When you use the no-till drill you can very easily bury the seed. So set and monitor the drill to maintain ¼ - ½ inch depth for seed (up to ¾ inch) depth in sandy soils.

Spring is the best time for seeding no-till in these sods.

1. Reduce the competition from existing plants with appropriate herbicides. Decide prior to seeding whether to eliminate the sod completely or maintain a portion to grow along with the alfalfa and modify herbicide applications accordingly. Since seed placement is a primary cause of alfalfa stand failure, use only no-till drills designed for seeding into sods and monitor and adjust the drill accordingly.

2. To eliminate as much of the sod as possible, mow or graze the grass fields in early autumn and apply one quart of Gramaxone or one to two quarts of Roundup per acre. In the early spring, a follow-up application of one pint of Gramaxone per acre may be applied to achieve total or near total grass control. Then, no-till drill the alfalfa seed in early spring.

3. To maintain a portion of the sod, graze or mow as above in the fall while the grass is still green and growing. Then apply one pint of Gramaxone per acre. A follow-up application of Gramaxone is necessary only if winter annual weeds are present or a threat.

4. In areas where perennial weeds such as dock, horse nettle, thistles, or other persistent weeds are present, apply 2-4D and/or Banvel on the sod at locally recommended rates the summer before seeding. For once you establish the alfalfa stand, there are no herbicides that will take these weeds out without taking the alfalfa out along with them.

Seeding No-Till in The Fall

Folks in Virginia and the other Atlantic Coast and southern and ‘near’ Southern States have been successful with fall no-till seedings. But the system is quite different than spring seedings. Here is what they do: Graze or mow the existing grass by late spring. Apply one quart of Gramaxone or one to two quarts of Roundup per acre to the green foliage. No-till seed 20-25 pounds of foxtail (German) millet per acre for a weed-smother crop and for harvest for hay or silage. This millet will be in early head as very good quality hay or silage in about 7-8 weeks. With this annual millet, there will be little if any re-growth so late summer weeds can be a possibility. Should this happen, apply a pint of Gramaxone per acre for fall cleanup. Seed the alfalfa at 15-20 pounds per acre at least six weeks prior to the historic freeze date.

Just a note in passing, based on years of field observations: Roundup is more effective removing orchardgrass than Gramaxone. Yet, Gramaxone is more effective on fescue, and bluegrass. We have seen farmers far and wide, apply Gramaxone to fescue/orchardgrass stands and remove all but a small portion of the fescue. Likewise, we have seen farmers go the opposite way and remove orchardgrass with Roundup. Does this help?

Good luck, you are going to enjoy and be surprised at the great crops you get when no-till seeding WHEN you follow the rules.