Late summer can be ideal opportunity to seed an alfalfa crop
It’s late summer already. Kids are going back to school, and
soon fall will be in the air. It’s also a prime time to seed
alfalfa. “Late summer can be an excellent opportunity to
establish forage crops, especially this year, because growers
faced significant weather issues in the spring and might be
looking for alternative planting options,” says Craig Marsh,
Syngenta agronomist. Here are tips for successful seeding: •
Seed as early as possible. Plant at least six to eight weeks
before first average frost for a good root system. • Plant seed
in firm and moist ground. Seed when moisture is adequate or when
a rain system is forecast, as warmer and drier weather can
increase the risk of moisture stress. • Avoid planting
immediately after older established alfalfa. Older alfalfa
stands tend to have autotoxicity issues. Advantages of late
summer Late-summer seeding has advantages: • It’s an opportunity
for growers whose soils were too heavy and poorly dr