Grouse alfalfa max question

What time of the year is best for planting Alfalfa max? I have a plot I need to hit at least once, but preferably twice with weed killer before I plant it. Is mid to late June an ok planting time?

I would spray as soon as possible after seeing greenup of the weeds. When you see the start of die off I would till and spray again when seeing green. Hopefully this would get you seeding right around Memorial Day. I’m in similar situation planting a new clover crop and wanting to get it in as soon after threat of frost passes, but before the dryer summer months.

Do you have a way to irrigate if nessasary?

I did that with a plot last year and after the last spraying I had to wait another 10 days then plant and I think that was mid June.

No irrigation.

I don’t have water on my property either. I plan on purchasing a 330 gallon used IBC tote and putting it on a trailer and filling at the river with a portable pump to irrigate my planned 1/2 acre plots.

I don’t plant anything that needs irrigation. I rely on mother nature for that.

I have a well on the property, but I am not up there enough in summer for that.

I suggest you ensure the IBC tote was previously only used for water. Those used for chemicals may have been used for herbicides, very counter-productive.

The one(s) I located are rinsed and are single used for soybean oil.

sticker wrote:

Is mid to late June an ok planting time?

It was no problem planting AlfalfaMAX late last year. My log shows I planted AlfalfaMAX on June 28 at the Midwest Monster home farm near Hinckley, MN.

It came in beautifully and was a well-established plot by the fall. I used my usual nurse crop of oats which really helps to limit the browsing pressure.

I’ve planted legume blends like AlfalfaMAX and Mega Clover Plus in May, June, July, and August. The only thing that’s going to cause a problem is getting a brief rain right after planting so that the seed germinates, and then a total drought so the young plants burn up without receiving any further moisture.

Needless to say, that scenario has NOT been an issue at my property for the past 8 years. We’ve had wet, wet, and then just for a change it rained a lot…

Grouse

Perfect, thanks Grouse