# preparing field for Alfalfa



## CircleM98 (Jan 2, 2017)

I've got a customer who is wanting to plant a 15 acre field in alfalfa and I was wondering what I need to do to prepare it for planting. Ive got access to any equipment I would need from other farmers and plan on taking soil test to get the pH and nutrient levels where they need to be. I don't have any experience with raising alfalfa so any ideas, suggestions, and tips are greatly appreciated. Thanks and have a good day.


----------



## ozarkian (Dec 11, 2010)

Are you going to work ground or no-till?


----------



## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

Weed control and planting depth of the seed and planting date, are very important. There is some variation depending on where you farm . I will plant tomorrow it is as late as I have ever planted , but not terribly late.


----------



## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

CircleM98 said:


> I've got a customer who is wanting to plant a 15 acre field in alfalfa and I was wondering what I need to do to prepare it for planting. Ive got access to any equipment I would need from other farmers and plan on taking soil test to get the pH and nutrient levels where they need to be. I don't have any experience with raising alfalfa so any ideas, suggestions, and tips are greatly appreciated. Thanks and have a good day.


Above all else (IMHO), make that field as level and smooth as a baby's behind first and foremost. If planting no till, double plant at half suggested planting rate (second pass on some sort of angle to the first pass).

Larry


----------



## danwi (Mar 6, 2015)

Is there anything growing in the field now? Is it sod, weeds, cornstalks, beanstubble, or has it already had some tillage done?


----------



## CircleM98 (Jan 2, 2017)

It has grass and some weeds in it right now. In the past it was an alfalfa field, as well as rotating corn and wheat. I mowed it down very early spring to cut the old weeds off and it was pretty smooth. I plan to try and plant this fall and I'll cut the stuff off it now for hay until then. What would work better; to no till or conventional tillage and planting?


----------



## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

CircleM98 said:


> What would work better; to no till or conventional tillage and planting?


Six of one, half dozen of the other type answer IMHO, experience could matter.

With either planting method, good seed placement (1/4 to 1/2 inch), good seed to soil contact (pressed in, but not compacted soil either), proper timing (Aug 1st to 15th, in MY area, for fall seeding), elimination of competitive weeds ahead of time (or grasses), purchase good seed stock for planting (watch for amount of seed coating, so you plant the right amount of actual seed per acre) and lastly mother nature's blessings (could be most important).

Larry


----------



## JMT (Aug 10, 2013)

r82230 said:


> Six of one, half dozen of the other type answer IMHO, experience could matter.
> 
> With either planting method, good seed placement (1/4 to 1/2 inch), good seed to soil contact (pressed in, but not compacted soil either), proper timing (Aug 1 to 15th, in MY area, for fall seeding), elimination of competitive weeds ahead of time (or grasses), purchase good seed stock for planting (watch for amount of seed coating, so you plant the right amount of actual seed per acre) and lastly mother nature's blessings (could be most important).
> 
> Larry


I agree. What your experienced with matters. For me I would till it because of my experience and equipment available. If it has been in hay for a while and is sod now I might plan to take a cutting of hay (maybe 2 if 1st cutting is off early), chisel plow, disc/field cultivate, cultimulch/pack, seed, and drag/roll/pack. Incorporate fertilizer and probably lime in the process.

Risk with that plan is really drying out the ground if you don't get much late summer rain.

Another problem and maybe your biggest, is the type of grass that is growing. Since you are in Missouri, it is probably mostly fescue and may take more than one tillage/spray to kill it. Best bet to control it is to knock it down several times before planting alfalfa. Maybe put in beans this year, then wheat in fall, then alfalfa after wheat in August of 2018.

Roundup alfalfa might solve the grass problem?


----------



## kurt1981 (Apr 18, 2017)

CircleM98 said:


> I've got a customer who is wanting to plant a 15 acre field in alfalfa and I was wondering what I need to do to prepare it for planting. Ive got access to any equipment I would need from other farmers and plan on taking soil test to get the pH and nutrient levels where they need to be. I don't have any experience with raising alfalfa so any ideas, suggestions, and tips are greatly appreciated. Thanks and have a good day.


i plow it under to get rid of trash. Then put lime on and work it in with cultivator 2 ton/acre. Then i put 150 p 100k 30 n, and work it in with cultivator. Then on planting day i cultivate again, get the field very smooth with an old harrow, pack it twice with my old smooth roller before planting, broadcast 30 lb per acre on top of the packed ground, and finally pack it twice again with smooth roller after planting. This has worked good in the four small fields i have. And finally when its in the 4th or 5th trifolate spray with round up 2 qt per acre. Good luck. Make sure you can get the soil good and packed before broadcasting. If it is too dry to get it packed wait for some rain. Its time to plant sooner than later for missouri or just wait till fall. This year we had a really dry winter I sewed it into powder, packed and packed, when it rained all the powder settled and all the seed was germinating ontop the ground. If it were not for 8 straight days of light rain for the seed to take hold I think it all would have died. Firm seed bed is very important and i couldnt achieve that no matter how much i packed the dry powder this spring.


----------

