The Neighbor Sez

Was quizzin' my neighbor on how to establish alfalfa behind winter wheat.

He says the last two years, guys have been yankin' the straw off right behind that combine and runnin' the drill right in the stubble with no nurse crop at all; just droppin' the alfalfa.

He says that with any luck at all and a touch of rain we have a hay crop next year without the years' wait because all alfalfa needs is three leaves and it will survive the winter.

Kind of interesting and sounds like a plan IF IT RAINS.

Whadda think?

Allan

--->Paul

That's what I was thinkin', but have never had any experience with slingin' alfalfa seed without the typical oats nurse crop and planting it in the spring.

Seems like if a guy can gamble on gaining that "jump year" and win, okay. But, is it worth the risk at what? $30 per acre? At least with the oats, ya always get "something" that first year. :>)

Allan

Said he watched a feller do it two years in a row and that granted, he was lucky enough to have caught the fabled "18th of August" rains, but that he had ended up with a perfect stand both times.

Allan

Disk it once and harrow it twice before you seed alfalfa or mabe its disk it twice and harrow it twice. Cant remember.

You can sow alfalfa about anytime. Sow it into dry ground and wait for a rain. One of our best stands was sown in June. I usually didnt sow untill Aug. Then I would plow and disk and springtooth and harrow before I sowed the alfalfa. Then Dad would say you have to harrow it three times. First time,harrow it in.
2nd time, harrow it out.
then harrow it back in again.