# Seeding and fertilizing alfalfa with concord air seeder



## youngbaler (Apr 9, 2015)

I Gothink 40 acres of ground to put into alfalfa this spring. I want to get it worked up nice and then hit it with our concord just barely scratching, it has 10" spacing but fans seed out about 4-5 inches. I also want to throw some people and k in one tank to get that out there to, just wondering if there is any seed burn issue? Also I'm thinking of seeding it twice at 1/2 rate to make up for any uneveness... any one have experience seeding alfalfa with a concord?


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

No I haven't used a Concord.....and I am interested in knowing the advantage of mixing Potash with people.... .

Regards, Mike


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## reede (May 17, 2010)

Sometimes it can be hard to get the people to flow reliably through the seed tubes.


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## youngbaler (Apr 9, 2015)

Would I get a more consistent flow if I mixed the alfalfa with a bushel of oats?


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

youngbaler said:


> Would I get a more consistent flow if I mixed the alfalfa with a bushel of oats?


Probably not....were you going to run a packer over the ground after seeding? I think if you do as you said in lightly scratching the ground and then maybe run a Brillion packer over it you might be good.

http://pami.ca/pdfs/reports_research_updates/(9c)%20Air%20Seeders/406.PDF

Regards, Mike


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Pretty common to mix alfalfa seed in with fertilizer here and blow on with airflow spreader.IDK about your concord but should work about the same.But do you want fertilizer in it?Get rusty in a hurry!

With oats it may seperate more then with fertilizer.Alfalfa could shake threw to the bottom and feed out first.

Like Mike said you would want to roll it after seeding.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

swmnhay said:


> Pretty common to mix alfalfa seed in with fertilizer here and blow on with airflow spreader.IDK about your concord but should work about the same.But do you want fertilizer in it?Get rusty in a hurry!


Common here to mix with fertilizer, just have been told not to let set in spreader long. Seem once it is mixed together it can effect seed germination with the salts in fertilizers (maybe coated alfalfa seed might not be as much of a problem).

Larry


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## youngbaler (Apr 9, 2015)

We often put fertilizer on wheat with concord, we wash it up really good afterwards... also fertilizer would be in a seperate tank from the seed. I was planning to have the ground pretty firm before seeding useing 2 passes with our super coulter pulling a coil packer. In the past i have had it blown on then i harrowed it then rolled it... i was hoping this would combine all three steps into one and maybe do a better job.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

How is the depth control?


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## youngbaler (Apr 9, 2015)

It's pretty good.. better than our jd grain drill. It's similar to a field cultivator with stops, except there is packer tires on the back holding it up and tires on front so it is always level. It works perfectly on flat ground. Sometimes I will go lengthwise with ditches after I seed whole field.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

youngbaler said:


> It's pretty good.. better than our jd grain drill. It's similar to a field cultivator with stops, except there is packer tires on the back holding it up and tires on front so it is always level. It works perfectly on flat ground. Sometimes I will go lengthwise with ditches after I seed whole field.


well depth would be my main concern as alfalfa should be seeded 1/4 deep.If you can keep it close to that you will be fine.


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