# Alfalfa Planting



## jfleace (Jan 7, 2010)

I farm in the southern part of Indiana. I have 20 acres that were planted last fall in cover crop wheat. I want to seed the field with alfalfa/orchard grass this spring. My grandfather suggested to no-till the alfalfa and orchard grass into the wheat this spring, then cut the wheat at the doughty stage and roll it for cattle hay. Would this produce a good stand or would I be better off spraying glyphosate and no-tilling the alfalfa/orchard?

Also, I tried to no-till alfalfa/orchard 2 springs ago and ended up with an excellent stand of alfalfa and hardly any orchard grass. Any suggestions as to what went wrong here would be helpful.

Thanks.
Justin


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## BCFENCE (Jul 26, 2008)

You may have a problem with the wheat smothering out the alfalfa being it has a head start, I works better if alfalfa and cover crop are sowed the same time, I then like to go in the fall with a drill and drill the orchard grass, This gives you a chance to spray and clean up your hay field the first year of spring planted alfalfa.
Good luck, THOMAS


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## nosliw (Feb 8, 2010)

i tried drilling some alfalfa into some cover crop wheat early last spring and the wheat choked it out.

I've got some wheat in some fields now that are one the books for re-seeding this spring. I'll be working the ground a little before seeding anything.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

It could work IF you get a rain rite after seeding and it gets going.And it would help to take the wheat off early.And it would be best to seed as early as possible.

I did that once into some spring planted oats.I had seeded Oats/Alfalfa and the oats was up 4" and alfalfa 1".The temperature dropped to 24 deg and it smoked the alfalfa.So I went back in and drilled some more alfalfa seed threw the standing oats 5-6" tall.There was rain coming and got it done and had a 3" soaker on it.It took and I ended up with a good stand.I took the oats off as oats hay.

On the Orchardgrass.To deep maybe.1/8-1/4 is best.

Perhaps the germination.Orchardgrass is one of the worst for keeping its germ on carryover seed.It may have been old seed and not been rechecked.If it sat in a hot humid building the germ may have been bad.Any carryover seed that we have is stored in a air conditioned warehouse to keep it cool and keep the humidity down.And than rechecked the following yr.


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## jfleace (Jan 7, 2010)

Thanks for all of the input!


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## jonfrahm (Jan 31, 2010)

allow the wheat to mature and harvest it then clear seed the alfalfa in the studdle


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