Planting

April is a good month to plant and establish a new stand of alfalfa. In fact, the sooner, the better, says an Ohio State University Extension educator.

A good weed control strategy in alfalfa is fundamental to a strong yield performance, say experts from Pioneer Hi-Bred.

"Successful weed control has been an ongoing challenge for alfalfa growers," says Dave Miller, Ph.D., Pioneer alfalfa breeder.

The potential for producers to profit from their crop is currently at a very high level due to the elevated demand for forage, both domestically and in overseas markets.

In most markets, a seed coating treatment is standard when purchasing alfalfa seed. Coated seed technically refers to a buildup in coating material of 8 to 34 percent on the seed.

There are many different qualities of forage seed available on the market, so it is important to buy good-quality forage seed to make forage-based farming successful from the beginning.

Seed selection can be very challenging. There are several hundred alfalfa varieties to choose from, with many introduced to the market every year, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses.