# What is your opinion on the best alfalfa seed to plant in Northern Indiana



## pippsfarm (Aug 6, 2010)

What seed would you recommend planting here in Indiana. Would you plant a nurse crop of say oats with it? Would you go straight alfalfa or a mix of orchard grass and alfalfa?


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Here is some options.

Alfalfa.seed 18-20 lbs
PGI 557 Alfalfa maximize tonnage and quality

Orchardgrass .5-4 lbs of seed depending how much grass you want in mix..
Quickdraw Orchardgrass

I use annual ryegrasss for a cover crop instead of oats.4-10 lbs acre.You would get 3 cutting seeding yr there atleast and would be a better feed then oat hay.
Lonestar

shipping available


----------



## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

You need a cover of some sort for a spring planting, I still use oats for the simple reason I have three boxes on my drill. Standard box for oats then two small seed boxes, one for alfalfa and the other for Orchard Grass.

Don't buy oat seed, I just run to the local feed mill and get bin run oats that they were going to mix in the cow, calf or horse feed.


----------



## downtownjr (Apr 8, 2008)

Most any brand has a decent genetic for the area...I have had luck with Pioneer, WL, and America's Brand-Ameristand. I sell Ameristand and if you PM me I will send you some info and pricing. No one can sell it cheaper in the area. You can check the plots out of Purdue for an idea in that area. As far as what you plant depends on what you are feeding. Also I will send some info for a friend that sells Byron seed. I use ther OG and Clover. Good idea on oats from mlappin. Click the Ameristand ad and call me if you want to get a price as well.


----------



## stan223 (Feb 16, 2011)

Purdue extension office told me if I plan to mix grass plant alfalfa at 10 to 12lbs./acre for a pure stand 15 lbs./acre also I have been recommended by a few different people not to plant a cover crop, though the annual rye did sound like a winner. I plant pure alfalfa and in two years I no-till grass in, in the fall has seemed to work ok. I until now have planted at 20 to 22lbs./acre but all the articles I've read say 15lbs/acre. So i called Purdue. Also this year i plan to use Pursuit to purify my stand I planted last summer. It can be applied as soon as the plant is a trifoliate. (I think i wrote that correct) but have been told on a first year crop it may retard the plant just a bit and tonnage may be off.
I am also in north east Indiana I have planted pioneer and they did not stand behind there replant I won't use that seed again. This year I am trying dairy land seed I hope I fall in love with it I have only found good things about the company.


----------

