Applying Manure to Alfalfa by Mike Rankin Introduction Manure has traditionally been targeted for corn acres during the course of a crop rotation. The reason has simply been that corn uses and needs all of the nutrients supplied by manure (especially nitrogen). A recent trend has been toward using more manure on fields in the alfalfa […]

FAQ’s about Liming in Wisconsin by John Peters Beginning in 2007, Wisconsin has a new lime recommendation program.  Will this increase or decrease the lime rates that are being recommended? Neither. In some cases the recommendations may be a bit lower and in some cases higher, but the new system will more accurately assess the level […]

Is Sulfur Needed for Alfalfa in Wisconsin? by John Peters and Carrie Laboski Extension Soil Scientists, University of Wisconsin What role does soil type play in sulfur availability to alfalfa? Research studies in recent years have shown that sulfur (S) may be deficient in some parts of Wisconsin. Sulfur deficiencies are most likely to occur when […]

Alfalfa Stand Assessment: Is This Stand Good Enough to Keep? by Dan Undersander, Craig Grau, Dennis Cosgrove, Jerry Doll, and Neal Martin As alfalfa stands age and thin, the primary question becomes: is this stand good enough to keep? Alfalfa stands are often assessed in the spring, but our research shows that evaluating stands in the fall is better because it […]

Seeding Rate of Different Alfalfa Seed Lots by Dan Undersander Many farmers neglect to calibrate their alfalfa seeder as they begin seeding in the spring. In doing so they are failing to take into account differences in seed size and may be seeding at higher rates than necessary. With good alfalfa seed costing $7 to $12 […]