Organic Alfalfa
We sell one of the largest and most competitively priced selections of organic alfalfa seed. Organic alfalfa producers face a unique set of challenges. We strive to provide alfalfa varieties that perform when grown using organic management practices. We are proud to offer the first ever organically produced alfalfa that has resistance to Potato Leafhopper. With alfalfas like WL 347LH (the best leafhopper alfalfa available, period) and Stampede (a premier low crown set variety), organic producers finally have options available in organic seed that are every bit as good or better than their conventional counterparts.
Alfalfa Basics
Description:
- Alfalfa is a tap-rooted perennial legume.
- It is very productive, drought-tolerant, widely adapted, and is the second most commonly planted forage legume in the world.
Best Uses:
- Dry hay and haylage production, grazing, soil-building plowdown.
Adaptation:
- Best performance on well-drained soils with a pH of 6.8 – 7.5.
Deep-rooted and very drought-tolerant once established.
Not well-adapted to poorly-drained or acidic soils.
Management considerations:
- Pasturing livestock on alfalfa must be managed to prevent bloat.
- Final cutting should be taken 6 weeks before killing frost.
Planting Dates:
- Early to late spring, late summer.
- (In southern MN: April 1 – May 15, August 15 - Sept. 1)
Seeding Recommendations:
- Drill ¼ - ¾ inches deep in a well-prepared seedbed. Can be broadcast or bulk-spread and rolled in. Do not drag deeply.
- A cover crop of oats, barley, wheat, or Italian Ryegrass is often used.
- To maximize establishment and productivity, either bale the cover crop or straight seed the alfalfa.
Seeding Rate: 15 -18 lbs./acre alone. 2 – 14 lbs. in mixtures.
Seeds per Pound: 227,000
Feed quality of alfalfa harvested as haylage or hay depends, to a great extent, on the maturity of the stand. With increased maturity, plant structural carbohydrates increase. These fiber fractions represent the indigestible parts of the plant. As a result, digestibility and energy obtained through fermentation decrease with maturity. Harvest pre-bloom for optimum quality.
Recommendation:
- Direct-seeding grass and legumes produces a forage crop more quickly than using a small grain as a nurse crop.
- In a dry spring, a grass/legume mix can be hurt by the small grain sucking up available moisture and out-competing your under-seeding.
- A good alternative to oats is to use Italian Ryegrass at a rate of 4 lbs./acre as a nurse crop and increase your seeding year tonnage by as much as ½ ton per acre.