Oklahoma Alfalfa
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station

ARE YOU GOING TO PLANT ALFALFA THIS FALL? 
 START PLANNING EARLY!!  

Alfalfa is normally considered a high income crop requiring the "best land on the farm." This is often true, but many Oklahoma farmers are missing out on a good bet by not producing more alfalfa acres.   

Several things have come together this winter to cause many farmers to ask what they can grow and expect to make a living. Last month we presented generalized budgets showing that alfalfa can be profitable on land that is not generally considered the "BEST". Those figures can be demonstrated on many farm in Oklahoma where alfalfa is on "less than the best" soils.   

Alfalfa can be grown on nearly every farm in the state, and it should be grown on many more farms. Many of the traditional wheat and grain sorghum production areas have soils that are shallower than needed for high-yielding alfalfa, but alfalfa should be tried, to see how it will work. You can make money with alfalfa yields in the range of 2 to 3 tons/acre.   
   
If you are considering alfalfa this fall:   

• Be sure you did not use a herbicide recently that will persist long enough to harm alfalfa this fall.   
• Take soil samples now. As soon as the results are back start working on fertilizer and lime requirements.   
• Start leveling and smoothing fields as soon as the previous crop is off. If you can do the preliminary leveling several months before planting, you should have a better chance of correcting drainage problems after several rains.   

Someone mentioned recently that he wanted to plant alfalfa, but liming would cost too much. This is sometimes the case and another crop may be better. Stop and think for a minute before deciding to not plant alfalfa.   

Lime costs $15 to $25 per ton delivered in most of the state. If 2 ton of lime are required per acre, it will cost about $30 per acre. This is the amount many producers spend on herbicides each year. The lime will be on the field for many years and will help all crops grow better. The herbicides will have beneficial effects for only a few months at best. Sometimes correct lime applications will help control weeds better than herbicides by improving competitiveness of alfalfa.   

Some farmers do not want to plant alfalfa because they do not want to buy "all the expensive machinery." There is no question that a complete set of new hay machinery costs a lot, but there are alternatives to this.   

Reliable custom operators are in most parts of the states who will do a good job putting up hay. The good custom hay people are probably trying to pay for some of their own equipment and will do a very good job to keep a good customer. 

Addition Information:   

• Alfalfa Stand Establishment Questions and Answers. OSU Extension Circular E-949  
• Alfalfa Stand Establishment. OSU Extension Facts F-2089