Have you compared the cost of the chemicals for the standard variety as opposed to Roundup? I would think the chemical cost would negate the seed cost savings. I have no idea what you’d control broadleaf weeds with, in traditional Alfalfa

Can I plant it in the spring? My disk frame is still in the shop, and I think I am to close to a first frost to plant it this fall. What variety did you plant?

I am trying to think about my strategy for planting for next spring. With these dry summers, I need something that will hang on into the fall. Soybeans would. Sunn Hemp will. Even now, unless the field is established clover on my lease, not much is growing because we haven't had any rain.

Lockjaw, my experience is nothing is going to grow good without water. The alfalfa will slow just like anything else during drought. but with the long tap roots it holds on better.

Fur, the same chemicals that I now spray chufa work, so I already have them. and it might be cheaper over a 5 year period, but that up front cost of 500ish dollars is hard to swallow, for one of us over paid teachers.

I agree with you on water, however, I discovered a few years ago that if I planted a field with peas, beans and sunn hemp, that having that amount of foliage shades the soil and tends to hold moisture in. I think part of my clover struggle is there isn't a "canopy" for lack of a better word shielding the soil. Whitetail institute put out some chart, and pretty much any bare soil, once in reaches 85 degrees ( I think ) loses the ability to retain moisture if its in direct sunlight. So even with daily rain, you have a long day in the summer with soil temps well over 85 degrees and your moisture just evaporates.

I think what has also hurt me is planting later in the spring than I should. As in waiting until after turkey season is over. I think I need to be planting about the second week in April. Usually we get decent rain up thru June, and then we get into July and it gets HOT and then the rain tapers.

That is why I only plant clover in the fall. I don't think planting it in the spring gives it enough time to develop a good root system. That would be my concern about spending money on Alfalfa and trying to plant it in the spring. I mean right now its almost November, and we really haven't had enough rain to amount to anything, much less sustain a freshly planted green field.

Generic Raptor (Imazamox) is labeled for alfalfa. Generally runs about $100/quart but I think you can get 6-8 acres out that. Pursuit is also labeled for alfalfa, not sure on current cost.

Yes, that’s the preferred time to plant it. It’s hard to plant conventional alfalfa in the spring due to weed competition. That’s the draw of the RR Alfalfa. You can plant it in the spring, when rain is more likely.

I’ve got 15 acres of alfalfa that I planted last fall. I’m very happy with it. It is a decent bit of work however.

I wish I could grow it or clover in the summer but sandy loam is not conducive for either.

My alfalfa is growing in Sandy loam. It has to have a well drained soil.

It does well in the summer? I can grow the crap out of crab grass in mine but didn’t think alfalfa would hold up it dries out so quick.

I think I am going to try it and see what happens.

It is expensive. ~8x as much as winter wheat

Comparing alfalfa to winter wheat as far as attraction to deer is concerned is like comparing apples to unleaded gasoline. A deer would walk across 100 acres of wheat to eat alfalfa. Not to mention how much more nutrients it has. It’s also grows for 4 years without replanting. If you figure in tractor operation costs, seed and fertilizer, I bet over a 4 year time the cost is a wash. If you figure your time over 4 years of planting food plots, then alfalfa would be cheaper.

I did over seed mine with wheat in the winter but all I did was spread seed. That can be done with a 4 wheeler

It does great in the summer

All this is very interesting…..
good stuff

I could have bought 50 lbs of Bulldog 805 for about $50 more than what I paid for Ladino

It was very dramatic at the club. Guys couldn’t get over how much the deer used the alfalfa plots. It took me several years to get the soil right and I was testing it so I only planted 2 fields. I paid for everything myself and not out of the clubs monies. What was most impressive it seems mature bucks would travel to the fields frequently

Assuming you have the ground ready, whats the cost per acre to plant? Whats the fertilizer recommendation per year? If i wanted to plant about 3 acres, what would i cost me?

How do turkeys use these? Also, do hogs tear this up more than other fields?

You can get the Bulldog 805 for about $6/lb, so $300 and you’ll have some seed leftover to overseed etc. The rest depends on your soil inputs and what herbicide plan you use.

The roundup ready alfalfa seed was about 2x the cost.