Alfalfa

Planted a half acre plot and much to my amazement it has come up really thick. I'm watering the heck out of it though. Question, will it survive through winter and come back next spring? Should I plant oats this fall and just re-seed alfalfa next spring? Anyone ever plant it?

Water is key, obviously. Have great coverage of plants that get dappled sun. Other parts are more sparse. Guess I'll keep shooting the water to it. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

I have been thinking about trying some alfalfa on some small plots. Im just south of Gordon. Is it drawing the deer pretty good? Lets see some pictures!

I have planted alfalfa on two different ranches in the past. I usually planted in the fall with other food plot seeds when I could. Issues I had was army worms and to many deer. So I fenced the plot with electric fencing. Could water one of 6.5 acres and other was dryland of about 2 acres. Both came up well and did great till army worms mowed them to the ground. On another ranch I planted alfalfa only in a 3 acre plot in March. Good rains, irrigation and electric fencing allowed it to get established and had a good stand. I allowed to grow till first of June then took electric fencing down. Normal rainfall and had a great stand just got a lot of grass and weeds in it. The deer mowed it to the ground by end of Sept. Next spring I did not wait, just plowed and planted Lab Lab. I have had friends plant alfalfa in the San Angelo and Eden area in a mixed plot with turnips, madrid clover and ladak alfalfa in fairly large plots in the fall and in the spring. Both places had enough of a stand after one year to let it go a 2nd year. One place even made it 3 yrs. They found that weeds were actually a blessing with the established alfalfa in late spring and into hot summer months. They offered protection from the sun and from overgrazing by deer. Both ranches planted in fields that had a lot caliche gravely rocky soils. With that gravely type soil they think the alfalfa could get a root system down into the better moisture at times when other plants were not. Also allowed good rainfall amounts to get deeper into the soil. Other ranches I know of planted it in the spring for one year then replanted the next year.

I had always heard that it is good for about 4 years. I have thought about planting a few acres but each time the water situation talked me out of it.

If it makes the summer it will make the winter. Watch for crows...if you get a bunch of crows better get going with your molasses based pesticide , seriously the crows are your friends.

We rotate every fourth year. I’ve over seeded every other but I think ground does better with a break at least on ground that’s been farmed for decades. But then again you aren’t farming for ceral grains either.

Don’t drill it. Drop seeder works best old brilliant etc

I planted some south of you around Edna hill and it made to July. Deer, drought and worms. Done. I also tried lab labs and had same result. Iron clay peas worked better.

Soil type has a lot to do if alfalfa will live past one year or more. I was told by some farmers/ranchers if the soil will grow cotton then it will grow alfalfa.

I know I have never been able to touch tonage per same amount of water as the high country guys. So I don’t know if it’s all soil.

If I could find a good brillion drop seeder down here I would give it go down here again in either Brady or Mason. Expensive seed to just wing it.

Thanks for the input. No pics as of yet. There's so much green out there I haven't seen a lot of activity. Weeds do seem to help with shade. So far it's looking good if it gets heavy water every 3-4 days. Gonna be tough to keep up that watering schedule. Ill get pics posted as available. Our deer density is probably 1 deer per 30 acres. Not high enough to worry about the deer eating it up. Im sure when the hogs find it, it may become toast.

Run a short hot wire

T-Rex approved height?

He is best in a 100% open range. Even cattle guards are a huge step for him....

Ankle deep grass gets can be an issue....lowly Greasewood towers like a Redwood over him.

I think that’s why he is so successful out there, yotes can’t even see him.

Indian name is small one who runs with quail

I think they called him Sandy Boots...when he passes gas he blows sand on top of his boots.

I hope you two take a long walk off a short pier

I've been seeing deer in the alfalfa. Everything else is dry except the field. I've been watering it hard. We could sure use some rain. East Texas should get some next week. Out west, who knows?