Best time of year to plant a clover / alfalfa mixed plot

[Bowsnbucks]

I know this info is on here somewhere, but this seems quicker than searching many pages. We want to plant a 2nd plot of 2020 Supreme brand alfalfa and Starfire red clover. When's the best time to plant it - spring or fall ?? Thanks guys.

 

[bowhunternw]

I have been told to plant alfalfa in August.

 

[scott44]

I've had good luck planting them mid to late Aug. in my Lc cereal grains, using rye and oats as a nurse crop.

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Hands down my best weed free stands are fall planted with a nurse crop like wheat, oats, tritcale or rye... Lightly frost seed every yr for maintenance.
I have frost seeded several grain plots over the years that I didn't add clover to the mix when they were fall planted and they just do not do as well...
Never done a spring clover planting.
Have always wanted to try a soy bean/clover/alfalfa spring planting like this...
Plant RR beans then give one good Gly spray few wks later and interseed the perenial mix directly after. In my mind this could establish a nice weed free clover/alfalfa stand as well

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Fall-planted clover I know about. It's the alfalfa that has me wondering. We planted our first plot of Supreme alfalfa / Starfire red clover mix in the spring 3 years ago. The first year we didn't see much alfalfa, but year 2 it went crazy. I was wondering if the alfalfa would get a better / quicker start if fall planted. From everything I've read, alfalfa is trickier to get established. This is not an LC rotational plot.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Update - After talking to a Penn State agricultural extension agent and to Welter's agronomist, they both recommended a mid-to-late August planting to avoid spring / summer weed germination. That also takes advantage of cooling temperatures & more rain in September and October.

This confirms what Jordan, Scott44, and Bowhunternw said above. ^^^^^^ Thanks guys !!