SeedRanch Alfalfa Seed - Wildlife Deer Food Plot Seed

Description: Alfalfa Plot Location, Preparation, Maintenance and Replanting Alfalfa requires a little more planning and care prior to and after planting than other food plot forages. Here are some basic tips to growing a healthy alfalfa food plot. Plot Location Drainage: Alfalfa, in general, does not tolerate wet-natured ground. It prefers well-drained soil. Well-drained sites can be just about any soil type that is on a slight angle where water drains quickly; a hilltop; sandy soil that drains easily and quickly; or any other location that simply does drains well. Sunlight: Alfalfa prefers sites that receive a significant amount of direct sunlight – 5 hours per day or more. Alfalfa can grow in shadier locations, but the plants may not be as productive. Soil Depth: Alfalfa excels in deep soils. The deeper the soil, the deeper the roots go, and the more drought tolerant the plot will be. Alfalfa roots can go more than 10 feet deep if the soil is deep enough. Alfalfa is naturally a desert plant from the Middle East. A rocky, shallow soil is not a good site for alfalfa. With deep soil, alfalfa will grow from the Gulf Coast states all the way to Canada. Try to select sites that have a soil depth of at least a couple feet. Plot Preparation Soil pH: After you have selected an adequate plot site, get a soil test as soon as possible to determine soil pH and fertilizer requirements. Alfalfa is very sensitive to soil pH. It needs a pH of 6.5-7.5. If your soil pH is low (which is common for the eastern U.S.), apply the recommended amount of lime at least four months before planting, as it takes many months for lime to dissolve. Several tons of limes per acre is a common application. Planting: When it is time to plant, work the soil up thoroughly and then pack the soil with a roller or cultipacker (if desired, Roundup can be applied two or more weeks in advance to kill "junk" in the plot). Broadcast the seed and then roll the plot again. Alfalfa seed should planted about ¼-inch deep. There are other methods to successfully plant alfalfa. The broadcast seeding rate for alfalfa is 20 lbs/acre (a 50-lb bag plants 2 ½ acres). Fertilizer: Fertilizer can be spread the day of planting or several weeks before. Minimal nitrogen will be needed, but alfalfa does need phosphorous and potassium. Refer to your soil test for exact fertilizer needs. If you don’t take a soil test, apply a minimum of 50 lbs of phosphorous and 100 lbs of potassium per acre per year (that recommendation is very low for many soils). A soil test may reveal you need less or more fertilizer than the above recommendation. As a legume, alfalfa produces its own nitrogen. Boron: Alfalfa also needs a certain amount of boron. Refer to your soil test to determine if you need to add boron to your plot. Plot Maintenance Fertilizer: Fertilizer should be applied each year in spring or fall. See the Plot Preparation section for more fertilizer tips. Weed Control: Non Round Up Ready... Mowing: Alfalfa is more attractive to deer when less than 10 inches tall. If the plot gets taller, mow it to 4-6 inches. It is not recommended let your alfalfa get several feet tall and then mow it short. The cuttings can pile up, resulting in dead or diseased plants under the clippings. If you have large plots that get very tall, it is suggested to have the plot mowed and baled (local farmers may be eager to harvest your plots, and interested farmers are likely to harvest the plot and still pay you a price per bale – check your local alfalfa hay prices). It is best to mow plots before a majority of plants produce flowers. How Long Will the Plot Last? If well maintained, alfalfa plots can easily last for five years or longer. Production for three to five years can be expected. Poor quality varieties may not last as long, but improved varieties, such as Alfa-Graze, can thrive for many years. Replanting Plots Alfalfa produces a chemical that is toxic to its own seedlings (a mystery of nature). The toxin does not kill alfalfa seedlings, but it significantly hinders growth. So after a plot is no longer productive, plant an alfalfa plot in another location. The old site can be left fallow or replanted with a non-legume food plot forage to take advantage of nitrogen produced by the alfalfa (cereal grains, corn, brassicas, chicory). The site needs to sit for at least two winters before being replanted with alfalfa.

Price: 14.95 USD

Location: Odessa, Florida

End Time: 2024-05-06T13:04:49.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD