5 Simple Steps for Success with Late-Summer Alfalfa Seeding

Aug 11, 2020


Alfalfa Growth Stages

Late-Summer Seeding

Alfalfa is a versatile crop with a wide range of recommended seeding dates, but if you have land available for alfalfa, you must finalize your plan soon. Follow these five steps to help make your next alfalfa seeding a success:

1. Alfalfa requires a neutral soil

Perform a soil test to determine pH, potassium and phosphorus levels. Alfalfa requires a neutral soil pH of 6.8 to 7.2 to reach its yield potential, and incorrect soil fertility levels will lead to lost production.

2. Plant at the right depth

Planting alfalfa can be more challenging in the summer than in fall or spring. The key is to plant into firm soil where you can control the depth, ideally planting seeds one-quarter to three-eighths of an inch below the soil surface.

3. Check for herbicide carryover

If there is any residual chemistry leftover from the previous crop, it could inhibit alfalfa crop establishment.

4. Control weeds

The first 30 days of an alfalfa seedling’s establishment are very important, and if you don’t have adequate weed control, some of those alfalfa seedlings may be lost.

5. Try a reduced-lignin variety

Alfalfa varieties with the HarvXtra® reduced-lignin trait, such as CROPLAN® HarvXtra® HarvaTron, HVX Driver or HVX MegaTron, provide flexibility to increase time between cuttings, which can result in improved forage quality or increased stand persistence. Click here to view varieties.

For more information on alfalfa seeding and management strategies, contact an agronomist below. We’ll help you develop a customized plan that fits your specific needs and goals.

Joel Mezera

Agronomy Production Specialist
 

Nick Crary

Agronomy Production Specialist

Latest Posts

Jul 07, 2025
Crop and weather conditions are aligning for a potentially strong year, making this a season worth investing in. The majority of corn and soybean fields are showing excellent growth and yield potential. However, the consistently high relative humidity over the past few weeks has created ideal conditions, not only for crop development, but also for disease pressure, particularly tar spot. When tar spot reaches 50% severity on the ear leaf during grain fill, yield losses of 20-60 bu/ac have been reported. 
Jul 07, 2025

Farmers across southern Wisconsin are being urged to scout their fields following increased reports of true armyworm activity. Significant infestations have been confirmed in Grant, Iowa, Crawford, Dand Columbia, Jefferson, Dunn, and Taylor counties. Some fields—particulary those with grassy borders or weedy patches—are showing heavy feeding damage. 

Jul 01, 2025
I hope everyone had the chance to enjoy the Independence Day holiday with family and friends. Thanks to all of you who called in your orders early and helped minimize the added pressure that the short work week brings. I’d also like to thank all of you who returned your propane contracts by the due date. With a short window of when contracts are mailed to when they are due back, we really appreciate your patience and support. If reading this reminded you that your contract is still sitting on the kitchen table, just pick up the phone and call the energy office nearest to you. Our friendly staff will be glad to take care of you. On behalf of our energy team and everyone at your cooperative, thank you for choosing us to serve your propane needs again this year.

Related Posts