Pros & Cons of Using Companion Crops When Planting Alfalfa
March 24, 2016
Alfalfa often may be seeded with a companion crop like oats to control weeds and erosion and provide a crop of grain or hay. Clear seeding alfalfa alone, without a companion crop, also works well. A preplant herbicide like trifluralin, Balan or Eptam often is sprayed and incorporated first to control weeds in a clear seeding, but a herbicide isn't always necessary. So, which p
Applying Manure Before Seeding Alfalfa
March 4, 2016
Where do you spread manure? What crops benefit most from manure application? One good choice is a field about to be seeded to alfalfa.
Why this Snow is So Good for Your Alfalfa
January 8, 2016
Nothing increases the chance of alfalfa surviving winter better than a nice, thick blanket of snow. Last fall’s moderate weather allowed alfalfa plants to harden well for winter, leaving them with a high concentration of nutrients in their roots and adequate soil moisture. This winterized condition enables alfalfa crowns and roots to withstand temperatures as low as 5 degrees above zero.
Start Scouting for Potato Leafhoppers in Alfalfa
June 7, 2023
Potato leafhoppers have the potential to injure alfalfa in Nebraska every year and have been reported recently in southeast Nebraska. Generally, they are a second and third cutting pest.