Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Quality Deer Management Took the Alfalfa plunge

I don't have that many in a field, but I am seeing the numbers go up.

I switched to clover on my high traffic fields. The problem I have right now is the hot dry summers are really tough on it. Hoping the alfalfa does a little better. Sunn hemp works well too.

Has anyone overseeded alfalfa into clover ? If so did it establish also interested in what brand alfalfa you used. Did you do it in the spring or fall.
I I hunt around cullman in north alabama

Do you keep the fields cut in the summer ?

I used to mow the clover, but that depends on moisture. I would try to time with rain in the forcast. Last 2 summers I mowed 1 time, and that was to knock down the cereal grains. I wouldn't mow clover much past mid to late June, because you need it to be thick enough and tall enough to shade the soil. Otherwise you need weekly rainfall to keep it healthy. On a few spots I never cut the cereal grains at all. Just left them til fall. Thinking that would shade the soil some. Not sure it was very effective, I would have probably done better to disk it up and plant peas.

I have heard of people talk about mowing sunn hemp, but I never have. The deer do a really good job of mowing it. I don't know how the alfalfa will do. I am not sure I will cut it or not yet. I need to order some clethodim and spray the field its in.

The biggest issue about planting anything is keeping the soil shaded. Once the soil temp gets above 85 degrees, it doesn't hold moisture unless something is over it. That can be organic material, or it could be some sort of crop. It is the only way to be successful in the summer here, unless we get a good rain every week. The weeks I get pop up showers nearly every day, clover grows fast. But cut it and those dry up, and it doesn't do so well.

Got ya. If you mowed, which you said you aren't anymore, I was going to suggest not mowing.

Week 4. I need to spray it with some Imox. Some of the cereal grains have come back.

Now I see why you broke your disc. I'm sure there's bigger rocks under the surface.

Some pitiful looking soil. What killed the turkey?

Ben2

We have dirt snobs too?

Be prepared to spray for bugs.i think it was weevils that Auburn had problems with when I was there. Alfalfa is like quail, everything wants to eat it.

You know what would really blow their mind? What I can do with that dirt!

I've seen some terrible looking dirt produce some giant Alabama deer.

Week 5. Went thru with the weedeater and cut down all the remaining rye and sprayed the field with Imox. It's thickening up nicely.

Nice, I've got 2.5 acres that I'll plant come fall.

I might decide I like the RR version better after this year. Depends if the Imox kills the horse nettle. Grass I can kill easy enough.

I would like the RR variety better also, easier to kill unwanted plants, but my wallet doesn't like the idea of 550-600 for a bag.

I think I paid about $35/5 pounds of coated Bulldog 805. It was about half what RR was. I bought 20 pounds to put on that field, 65% of it was seed, the rest was innoculant. Hoping the Imox does the trick. If I really wanted to do it right, I would disk the field and spray it all summer, and plant in the fall.

It would be nice not to have to get 2,4db and clethodim. I think 2,4 db does a good job on weeds though.

I’d get an exclusion cage on that field if I were you. Especially since your trying it out. Any deer traffic on it yet?