Alfalfa
Medicago m. sativa
HOW TO GROW ALFALFA
SOWING
Generally 15 to 20 pounds of seed per acre (13 – 20 kg/hectare ); may be as low as 3 to 5 pounds for dryland seeding. Sow 1/2 pound per 1000 square feet. Use half these rates when mixed with grain or grass. Seed must be placed in contact with moist soil, but never deeper than 1/2”. For best survival, seed should be drilled to a depth of 1/4”. Seeding should be followed by cultipacking rolling to firm the soil around the seed. Severe compaction should be avoided. Companion crops are not recommended except where wind erosion may be a problem. Sow early in the season so germination will preclude weeds, alfalfa does not compete well with weeds early in the establishment sequence. For all sowing, plant 6-8 weeks before the first killing frost in the late summer to allow good establishment going into winter. Organic systems should plant 1/3 to 1/2 heavier to allow for some weed pressures.
BED PREPARATION
Seed bed should be finely pulverized, leveled, and firmed with soil moisture near the surface to help initiate germination. Low spots and dead furrows should be eliminated. Determined by seasonal temperature and moisture conditions. Most sowings are made from April to early June to allow root systems to develop before high temperatures and low moisture conditions slow growth rate. Late summer and early fall sowings must be in time to allow enough growth to minimize loss from winter injury.
ADAPTATION
Alfalfa does best on deep, permeable soil with an adequate moisture supply during the growing season. Most varieties very sensitive to poor drainage and compacted soil conditions which restrict root growth. Most productive on loam or loamy soils, well drained, with good moisture holding capacity or with adequate irrigation. Alfalfa has autotoxicity, which means it is difficult for alfalfa seed to grow in existing stands of alfalfa. Therefore, alfalfa fields are recommended to be rotated with other species, for example, corn or wheat, before reseeding. Effective annual precipitation needed: 12”.
FERTILIZING
Alfalfa is a heavy user of plant nutrients. A complete fertilizer program is essential to a long lived productive stand. Fertilizer and lime applications should be based on soil tests. Fall applications of lime prior to seeding are best to provide time for soil reaction. Potassium, sulfur and boron, when indicated by soil tests , should not be banded with the seed, but should be worked into the soil before seeding. Phosphorus may be applied effectively by banding 1/2 to 1” to the side or below the seed, or by shallow incorporation just prior to seeding. Inoculate for best performance.
GREEN MANURE
For best results, till under when in the flowering stage.
SHIPPING COST
25-lb., 50-lb. and larger sizes ship via ground transportation. Select the appropriate Bulk Shipping option at checkout. We may email you additional shipping costs separately based on your total order weight, zone and palleting costs.
Days from maturity calculated from the date of seeding. Average 200,000 to 220,000 seeds per pound. Sow average of 15–20 lbs per acre. Sow 1/2 pound per 1000 square feet. Usual seed life: 6–8 years. Isolation distance for seed saving: 5 miles.
Planting Depth 1/4–1/2"
Soil Temp. Germ. 68˚F
Days to Germ. 14
Plant Spacing 6–9.5”
Row Spacing 6–10”
Days To Maturity 60–90
Full Sun, Moist Well Drained Soil
Alfalfa Seed Count
1 Pound ≈ 210m seeds
5 Pounds ≈ 1,051m seeds
25 Pounds ≈ 5,257m seeds
50 Pounds ≈ 10,514m seeds
100 Pounds ≈ 21,029m seeds
- 1 Pound$16.00
- 5 Pounds$40.00
Vernal has been the standard Summer alfalfa for years and is GMO-free. Alfalfa is a major forage crop in the Pacific Northwest. When properly grown, harvested and stored, it produces more protein than any other forage crop and nearly equals corn silage in total digestible nutrients for livestock. It also contributes...
Vernal has been the standard Summer alfalfa for years and is GMO-free. Alfalfa is a major forage crop in the Pacific Northwest. When properly grown, harvested and stored, it produces more protein than any other forage crop and nearly equals corn silage in total digestible nutrients for livestock. It also contributes significantly to soil plant nitrogen supply and general soil improvements. Nitrogen production is up to 200 lb. per acre. Alfalfa is a perennial forage legume which normally lives four to eight years, but can live more than 20 years, depending on variety and climate. Alfalfa is widely grown throughout the world as forage for cattle, and is most often harvested as hay. The plant grows to a height of up to 1 m (3.3 ft), and has a deep root system, sometimes stretching more than 15 m (49 ft). This makes it very resilient, especially to droughts. It has a tetraploid genome. Alfalfa is a small-seeded crop, and has a slowly growing seedling, but after several months of establishment, forms a tough "crown" at the top of the root system. This crown contains many shoot buds that enables alfalfa to regrow many times after being grazed or harvested. Tags: Color: Green, Specialty: Cover Crop, Season: Summer.
Alfalfa seems to have originated in south-central Asia, and was first cultivated in ancient Iran. According to Pliny (died 79 AD), it was introduced to Greece in about 490 BC when the Persians invaded Greek territory. Alfalfa cultivation is discussed in the fourth century AD book Opus Agriculturae by Palladius, stating: "One sow-down lasts ten years. The ancient Greeks and Romans believed, probably correctly, that alfalfa came from the Medes' land, in today's Iran. Medica is the root of the modern scientific name for the alfalfa genus, Medicago.
Alfalfa seems to have originated in south-central Asia, and was first cultivated in ancient Iran. According to Pliny (died 79 AD), it was introduced to Greece in about 490 BC when the Persians invaded Greek territory. Alfalfa cultivation is discussed in the fourth century AD book Opus Agriculturae by Palladius, stating: "One sow-down lasts ten years. The ancient Greeks and Romans believed, probably correctly, that alfalfa came from the Medes' land, in today's Iran. Medica is the root of the modern scientific name for the alfalfa genus, Medicago.
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