Clover vs Alfalfa

[Jordan Selsor]

I have not bought anything from Grandpa Ray outdoors but like his informative videos. He is doing some interesting stuff that no one else is doing. An has some wild seed varieties. Ethiopian Cabbage WTH is that???? lol
Seems like most of us food plotters turn to clover over alfalfa. He brings up some interesting advantages to alfalfa that may apply to some. I find the tonnage per acre numbers and more late season browse to be a big advantages. Sounds ideal for small kill plots with more tonnage in smaller area. I plan to experiment with alfalfa and radishes in a small woodland plot this fall. I have heard it is crucial to mow alfalfa regularly. That may not work for some guys. What you guys think?

 

[scott44]

I have strips of both in my plots, both serve their purpose and are browsed from spring to fall.

 

[Bill]

I know around me the deer gravitate to alfalfa over clover. The only reason I've never planted it is that I heard when mowed it's best to get the clipping off the field by haying it. Something about it not regrowing through the clumps of clippings.

No practical knowledge of that and of its not the case I'd like to know it. I'd have it on my to plant ASAP list if this isn't the case.

And what the heck is Ethiopian cabbage

 

[swat1018]

Bill if you plant small plots the deer keep it clipped, and you usually don't have to mow. I have a 10 acre field I rent to a farmer for Alfalfa, too.

 

[Barndog56]

I have ladino and alfalfa planted together. Deer prefer the alfalfa. They keep it mowed down. When I mow the plot it's due to the height of the clover, and the alfalfa has no problem growing up through the clippings, but the clippings are never very heavy.

My clover will green up earlier in the spring, and stay green later in the year. But when the clover goes dormant in the heat or drought of summer, the alfalfa keeps on growing.

 

[Bill]

Bill if you plant small plots the deer keep it clipped, and you usually don't have to mow. I have a 10 acre field I rent to a farmer for Alfalfa, too.

I had 10 acres once too. The farmer cut it late one year and left me with stubble for deer season. Most of it winter killed so I switched to beans and corn. But I would like alfalfa back.

Maybe patches are the way to go.

 

[Big Snow Man]

I have found the same thing my micro plots that have alfalfa attract more deer

 

[Peeps]

Anyone tried growing alfalfa on sandy soil?

 

[Big Snow Man]

Anyone tried growing alfalfa on sandy soil?

Mine s on sandy ground. Key is getting it in early

 

[yoderjac]

Alfalfa is much more difficult to grow and much more picky than clover. Folks on prime soils may not find as big of a difference. I find clover to be the cornerstone of my QDM food plot program. All else sits on it. Relative attraction is overrated in my opinion. If deer aren't eating what you plant, it is because they found something better from their perspective at that point. "Better" changes over time. When hunting season rolls around, deer respond much more to pressure than any relative attraction differences between the crops I plant. I find tonnage overrated as well for feeding deer. Deer are browsers by nature, not grazers. Our food plots are a fraction of their diet. As long as you are planting acreage to feed deer, not just tiny plots for attraction, we always find some amount of crop left after the stress period for which we are planting. That means tonnage was more than sufficient for the objective. Since we don't harvest food plots, all that left over tonnage is simply cycled through the soil nutrition cycle.

That is my 2 cents for what it is worth...

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Bowsnbucks]

My camp has a mixed plot of Starfire red clover and 1015 Supreme alfalfa. Both seem to grow well together and the deer keep it clipped off for the most part. The alfalfa DOES take longer to establish, but the combination of the 2 in the same plot gives the deer variety as they feed. As someone said above, when the clover goes dormant in the heat, the alfalfa stays green and growing.

 

[Tap]

I bought some African Cabbage seed last month from Green Cover seed.
I'm having a senior moment and can't remember all of the traits of it except it can be planted pretty early, handles summer heat, and stands up well in snow. I guess that's a desired trait in wind-blown areas...it'll help retain snow for insulation and moisture retention. There were some other reasons I decided to experiment with it but I can't remember them right now

As far as alfalfa goes, I've only had a little in an Ed Spin mix. It did okay but I've always heard it needed a higher pH, was more disease prone, and didn't like wet feet.
The farmer I bought my land from said it wasn't the best place for alfalfa. I stick with clover.

 

[Big Snow Man]

I mix my alfalfa with other things like small burnet or clover. The nice part of the alfalfa is that it's RR so I kill what I don't want and add something else to the alfalfa.

 

[yoderjac]

I mix my alfalfa with other things like small burnet or clover. The nice part of the alfalfa is that it's RR so I kill what I don't want and add something else to the alfalfa.

The issue with RR alfalfa is the technology agreement with Monsanto and how it must be managed.

 

[Big Snow Man]

Never had a number and never will you can buy it off the internet. Pricy yes but very very convient.

 

[John-W-WI]

I mix my alfalfa with other things like small burnet or clover. The nice part of the alfalfa is that it's RR so I kill what I don't want and add something else to the alfalfa.

I planted non RR alfalfa close to 10 years ago. When I wanted to remove it, roundup didn't touch it. I think it thought I was watering it.

After multiple attempts to disc/till/spray it just kept coming back. Finally I talked to a farmer buddy of mine that does lots of spraying and he gave me something (I don't remember what it was) that I sprayed it with. It didn't take much and it was TOAST.

I guess you could say that is a plus. It's hardy alright!

-John

 

[Jordan Selsor]

I planted non RR alfalfa close to 10 years ago. When I wanted to remove it, roundup didn't touch it. I think it thought I was watering it.

After multiple attempts to disc/till/spray it just kept coming back. Finally I talked to a farmer buddy of mine that does lots of spraying and he gave me something (I don't remember what it was) that I sprayed it with. It didn't take much and it was TOAST.

I guess you could say that is a plus. It's hardy alright!

-John

Why did you want to kill the alfalfa?
I just frost seeded 5lbs of common alfalfa and 3lbs of chicory 3lbs med red clover into a small plot. Gonna give it a try. Something to tinker with

 

[ruskbuckss]

I know around me the deer gravitate to alfalfa over clover. The only reason I've never planted it is that I heard when mowed it's best to get the clipping off the field by haying it. Something about it not regrowing through the clumps of clippings.

No practical knowledge of that and of its not the case I'd like to know it. I'd have it on my to plant ASAP list if this isn't the case.

And what the heck is Ethiopian cabbage

I had a farmer tell us the same about the alfalfa. It needs to be bailed or removed. He said it will smother the alfalfa growing underneath and kill it.

 

[Big Snow Man]

I'm using it in micro plots and mow it once a summer and rake out the thigh spots. As long as you don't mow it a month before frost your good. It's a great November attractant. I just got some more RR yesterday in the mail.

 

[John-W-WI]

Why did you want to kill the alfalfa?
I just frost seeded 5lbs of common alfalfa and 3lbs of chicory 3lbs med red clover into a small plot. Gonna give it a try. Something to tinker with

The reason I was trying to get rid of it was that after a few years (newly broken ground, not the best conditions for a long term stand) it started to thin and I wanted to start over with a new crop. Seeing as alfalfa is auto-
toxic, I couldn't reseed it. So I had to remove it. After about the 3rd time of trying to remove it I called my sprayer buddy

I will plant alfalfa again, in a better spot where it has a chance to stay much longer.

-John