Planted a field in some Bulldog 805 a few weeks ago. Put some fertilizer on it ahead of rain a week ago. It's germinated, so we shall see what happens.

I may try to plant some this fall, depending on how this one goes and what the rain situation looks like.

Lockjaw, i hope you have great success. Please post your experiences. Ive thought about trying this myself. I dont have the time to dedicate to it now but i will later

Thank you sir. I will start posting some pic's so everyone can see how it does.

I’m looking forward to seeing your success with this

So where was your ph when u planted. I want to try this next year which is how long it will take to get mine right.

I believe alfalfa needs ph right around 7.0 to survive and do well

Anyone know what chemical you can spray alfalfa with to kill native clover? Friend of mine has had issues with it choking out his alfalfa in the fall/early spring

Don't think that's going to be possible unless you have RR Alfalfa.

I hope to try alfalfa soon. Is it better to plant it in the spring or in the fall?

I didn't test it. I did testing about 4 years ago and limed (ag lime) based off that back then, but I added extra pellet lime to this plot the following year, about 1800 pounds worth. I may test it if I think its not doing well. It says this one likes a ph of 6.5. I can adjust it in a hurry with Procal if I have to. Plot is about half an acre, and I need 2 tons per acre according to soil tests.

I expect to have some set backs with it. For starters, I think I am about 4 weeks later planting it than would be ideal for a spring plant. I haven't had the best success with clover planting it in the spring, I get better production if I plant it in the fall, so I will add some seed this fall when I plant too. I am more concerned about getting adequate rainfall and getting the stuff up high enough to shield the soil before soil temps reach 85 degrees. I will probably do a heavy application of fertilizer this weekend to boost it.

Most of my really productive clover plots required a second seed application, and I really just add more seed each fall. That seems to be the best method for me to keep one really lush. I am going to see what happens going into fall. My hope is alot of it survives and then I can supplement it in the fall planting with another 10 pounds, and have a really good spring next year. I will probably not plant cereals on it in the fall either, just brassicas and annual clover.

I'll take some pictures this weekend if the weather is good and post them so you can see what its doing.

That's what I figured but didn't know if some sort of alfalfa specific herbicide existed.

I would suggest reading up on over seeding alfalfa with more alfalfa seed. I think I recall reading that none of the secondary seed will sprout due to the established plants producng soem type of toxin to prevent it.

HHS is correct overseeding will not work with Alfalfa

What I looked at says you "can" do it with a newer field, less than one year old. It said once past the one year mark its better to start over on a new field due to the toxicity.

So.... I may get lucky.

https://imgur.com/a/P9ePLIj

Not sure if this will work.

Na, didn't work

Following. I have two 1 acre plots that I was going to plant in alfalfa last fall but was told not to waste time planting plots less than 3-4 acres in size with high deer density. I'm working on getting a 3 and 4 acre plot ready for fall.

Let's try this. Took it friday, when I was out yesterday, it was thicker.

I have only had that issue with soybeans. If I plant something with them, like clay peas, sunn hemp or buckwheat, then I can get a much better result.

You don’t have many deer though. I have a little over an acre in 3 plots at the house and my deer decimate anything I plant in the summer now. But I saw as many as 17 deer in one plot this year.

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?

I wonder if alfalfa would work in a throw and mow planting?

I haven't gotten any on camera yet. That field is funny. I planted soybeans on it one spring, and the deer left them alone for a bit, and then it was like they discovered them one day, and the next day, no more soybeans.

I have to go mow, plant and start spraying, hopefully the weather holds this weekend and I can do that. I have a few fields I want to plant in peas and sunn hemp. Alot of mine have good stands of clover, so mowing will help get that going.

Its pretty expensive to take a chance on if you ask me. I will say I have done a lot of throw and mow, and it works, but, depending on the type of forage, I get better results if I disk and plant, like with soybeans.

After last fall, I hate to even try to throw and mow winter wheat. Turkeys wear it out. The don't seem to be able to do that as much with cereal rye.

I think it would work, because the seed is small. Thinking of trying a small 1/4 plot as an experiment.

I bet it would do fine in fields where someone has already been building topsoil for a number of years

Week 6. A good rain would probably help it along!!

You have an exclusion cage on it?

It’s going to need some rain for sure but otherwise looks like it’s doing good to me! Landowner where I used to hunt in GA kept 10-15 acres around his entry and they did everything by the book. You hardly drove thru without a deer being in it. But he spent a lot of money keeping it going year after year.

Lockjaw - Have you put a protective cage down to gauge the browsing pressure the field is getting? If so, what does it show?

No cage yet. I just got all the fields mowed last weekend, but haven't seen alot of traffic anywhere yet. I will put one up, I just have to get to it.

The imox seems to be taking out the horse nettle too!! BONUS!!

Week 7

Are the deer hammering it? Looks good.

It's hard to tell without a cage on it

No I am not getting camera pics yet. I think they have to find it first. Usually what happens out there is they discover something is there and then start keying in on it.

I planted some eagle beans on another field, and then I broadcast some buckwheat on it to give them some cover since I started to see a little deer traffic on it. But I really haven't seen alot of traffic on any of the fields, they may be in the 105 acres that was clear cut in Feb. Lot's of browse there right now.

I just want to make sure I have stuff for them in August. That is when the woods start getting really dry and the deer need food. I am off to Alaska so it will be a couple weeks before I get back out there and can plant some beans/peas/sunn hemp. I need to spend a day out there disking and planting.

How is it looking now?

You saving them big rocks😁
Interested to see how it goes when they settle in on it..

Lockjaw you are gonna love Alaska. My wife and I are there right now and it is awesome. Flew to a glacier and went dogsledding today, whale watching tommorrow. Just noticed you have already been.

update?

Question for the Alfalfa Pros. If I plant a field in straight Alfalfa in October, will it be huntable this deer season or do I need to mix in some cereal grains for the fall and kill them off in spring?

I would definitely go with at least a light rate of wheat

What are the primary herbicide options on the bulldog 805 variety that’s is not glyphosate resistant?

Clethodim for grasses and 24Db for broadleaf

Well the summer heat and no rain didn't help my plot. I had an awful time with horsenettle, but hit it with a hot load of 2,4DB and cleth, which seemed to knock most of it back. I broadcast 10 more pounds of it one rainy weekend we had a month ago, and then ahead of the last rain, I put out some 0-46-0, and its rebounded nicely. I don't see much deer traffic in it though. Had to buy a new spray tank, and then order chemicals.

As an experiment, I planted some Alfagraze 600 on another field. I need to order some more and broadcast it before it really starts raining. Hit it with fertilizer too. Same time frame as the Bulldog. It's doing well. It's on a field that gets alot of traffic in the off season. Right now it seems the deer prefer it to Bulldog, but your wallet won't prefer it. It's about $10/pound.

Its been a rough start to the season. Disk issues, broke and bent some stuff with the 3 pt hitch, PTO solenoid, and switch, plus tore up a cv boot on the 4 wheeler.