Alfalfa seed best way to seed it.

BryanG · Aug 6, 2012

I have a hay field that I need to seed alfalfa into. I can't dig the ground it hiley erodible so it needs to be no-tilled. Or can it broadcasted or use just a regular drill? All no-till drills I find are 10 in. spaceing is that to far appart or they don't have a grass seed box. Any help would be appreciated.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 7, 2012

Do the no-til and go over twice in two direction if possible.

johnwayne360 · Aug 7, 2012

If you need it to grow next spring, you can just spread it in february, and the freeze and thaw cycles will plant it for you. If you want it yet this year, you will have to wait for it to rain, and have all the weeds gone before you broadcast.

randallinMo · Aug 7, 2012

Bryan, the fall typically is a great time to sow alfalfa....depending upon where you are located. Fall seedings tend to be less weedy and are more productive the following year. You need to have a good seedbed prepared and or use a no-till drill that has the legume seed boxes on it. Alfalfa is too expensive to broadcast on unprepared soil. YOu will need to use chemical weed control to enhance your chances of success this fall via no-till. Frost seeding alfalfa is a hap-hazard method at best. Alfalfa does not frost seed well on a consistant basis. "Occasionally", it will work. Do not get in a hurry seeding alfalfa. Do all the little things first in terms of nutrient enhancement and ph adjustment. I prefer to start a couple years prior to actual seeding of the crop. During this two years I apply lime and add potash according to test. I also get the weeds under control "before" I even think about sowing. Alfalfa is the "Queen of the Forages" and she likes to be treated as such. Do your research before you jump in prematurely.

GordoSD · Aug 7, 2012

Do you have a disc? What kind of seeder do you have? Do you have a cultipacker? Do you have spike tooth harrow? Do you have broadcast seeder with Gandy box? Need to know what you have before we can say how to do it.
Fully prep my fields and then seed with a MDS "Porta Seeder" with a Gandy box for the alflafa, and drag three sections of spike tooth harrow behind it.

BryanG · Aug 8, 2012

I am in north central Wisconsin. I think I will end up planting with a no-till drill. Even tho I have all the other equipment I just don't want to dig the hills up. I know it's expensive to seed so you need to do it right the first time. This will be the first time seeding hay with a no-till drill always have done it conventional and works out great. Thanks for all the help!!

IHcollecter_94 · Aug 13, 2012

I might think about broadcast spreading it then run an aggressive harrow over it.

donjr · Aug 21, 2012

Burn the groumd off with Roundup, and find a notill drill with a small seed box. Cross hatch the field at half rate seed.

Alfalfa seed best way to seed it.

BryanG

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Anonymous-0

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johnwayne360

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randallinMo

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GordoSD

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BryanG

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IHcollecter_94

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donjr

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